8.12 Roads and Trade Routes

Directions: Watch the "Roman Road Construction" video to help you answer the questions on your worksheet. Add more facts from the class discussion to the right.

Directions: Read “Growth and Trade” to answer the questions on your worksheet.

Rome's army was quickly becoming the mightiest in the Mediterranean world. Its relentless march expanded the Republic's frontiers and cultural influence farther than ever before. Soldiers in forts on three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa—protected the empire’s frontiers from attacks by numerous enemies. The soldiers could be soaking in the rains along the English Channel, sweltering in the deserts of southern Egypt, battered by Atlantic winds in western Spain, or surrounded by the constant darkness of the thick forests of Central Europe.

Some of the frontier military camps became permanent settlements. Soldiers stationed at these settlements often stayed in the community when they retired. This practice helped expand Roman culture and influence in the region.

The Republic did not always rely on military conquest to expand its borders, however. If an area looked like it would be difficult or costly to conquer outright, they would support a local ruler. In return, the territory would be required to provide the Romans with military aid if needed. In this way, the Republic was able to expand their territory while saving the expense of an all-out war. This arrangement also made it easier for ambitious generals to invade the territory in the future if they felt that it was necessary.

These excellent roads also stimulated the economy by making it easy to transport and sell goods throughout the Republic—basic goods as well as luxuries. Even citizens with limited incomes could afford African olive oil and Spanish salted fish. This flow of goods around the Mediterranean Sea created a thriving economy as well as a sense of community. Roman merchants gained great benefits from all of this trade.

Rome’s craftspeople produced beautiful objects that archaeologists have found as far away as Vietnam, but what flowed out of the empire most was money. The city of Rome itself was the main consumer of imports, or goods brought from other places. Rome especially needed food to feed its huge population. Agriculture, though still Rome’s largest industry, was focused on luxuries such as fruit.

The most important Roman goods in terms of the quantity traded were wine, olive oil, and grain. Traders moved these bulky goods by ship before transferring them to slower ox-drawn carts. Adventurous traders looked far beyond the empire’s borders. These merchants would sail east to India or travel the Silk Roads to China. There they sought to trade wool, gold, and silver for luxuries such as silks, spices, and gems.

The introduction of a standard currency, or money, throughout the empire made it easier to conduct trade as well as collect taxes and pay soldiers. The Republic made coins called denarii (dih-NAIR-ee) out of silver and sesterces (SEHS-tuhrs) out of brass. Roman coins were accepted not only in their own territory but also beyond.