Researched
Road & Canal Networks
Roman roads and canals link empires - fixed routes make armies, trade and post predictable.
Open in the interactive tree →The Roman road network reached about 80,000 km of paved trunk road, beginning with the Via Appia in 312 BC. Persia built the Royal Road, China from the 5th century BC the Grand Canal. Infrastructure that lasts for centuries has since been a mark of every civilisation.
Prerequisites
- Wheel~3500 BC
- State & Administration~3000 BCRoads and canals were built and maintained by states
- Geometry (Euclid)~300 BC
Unlocks
- Macadam & Asphalt Roads1820
- Suez & Panama Canals1869-1914