How To Build A Roman Road - Ancient Roman Construction

An example of a Roman road that still exists in Pompeii

What Were Ancient Roman Roads Like?

Super Straight

Roman roads were super straight. The Romans wouldn’t have any of this wiggly road business (perhaps they all got really travel sick?), they preferred the straightest route from place to place because it was much quicker. This was just one of the reasons why Romans built roads in Britain. A two-way road would be around 6 metres wide, which isn’t too different from the width of a modern two-way road in Britain today.

Satisfyingly Smooth

Roman roads were also really well constructed. Gone were the days of the pothole-ridden dirt tracks of the Celts. The surface of Roman roads were nice and smooth, covered in neatly cut stone slabs.

Dreamily Dry

The Romans designed and built their roads with a slightly curved surface. This is called a camber. The camber was very clever because the curved road surface forced the rain water to trickle down and off the side of the road and into ditches. No more muddy puddles for travellers here!

Ridiculously Repetitive

Across the entire Roman empire, roads were all built to the same plan (although the materials would often vary depending on what could be found in the local area to build with).

A diagram showing the layers of a Roman road. Image courtesy PocklingtonDan

How Were Roman Roads Constructed?

Step 1 - Dig

First the Romans would dig a wide, shallow ditch.

Step 2 - Mound

The earth and stones that were dug out from the ditch would be piled into the centre of the ditch to make a mound. This was called the agger and would form the base of the road with a ditch on either side.

Step 3 - Layer

A foundation layer of stones or cobbles would be rammed on top of the agger, followed by a finer layer of gravel, pebbles or sand to smooth it all out.

Step 4 - Finish

Finally, the road would often be finished off with neatly cut stone slabs.

Some roads were different - can you spot all of the differences between this Roman road diagram and the one earlier in the article? - Image courtesy PocklingtonDan

Were All Roman Roads Like This?

Although the Romans always worked from the same plan, not all roads were built equally. In Britain, some of the best roads had kerb stones along the edges. Other less well-constructed roads only had an agger with a bit of gravel on top.

Meanwhile, some builders had to change the road plans because of the landscape they were building in. Roads in boggy or wet areas had a platform underneath the agger to keep things dry and stable.

What Else Did The Romans Build In Britain?

Find out about how the Romans made Britain "more Roman" in our blog on the Romanisation of Britain, right here.