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Why Did the Ancient Romans Build Roads in Britain?

Forest path surrounded by tall trees and lush green foliage, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere in a shaded woodland setting.
A muddy dirt track that could have been used by the Celts as a road

What Were Ancient Roads Like in the UK Before the Romans?


Before the Romans invaded Britain, the country was inhabited by lots of smaller tribes called the Celts. The Celts didn’t have much of a road system and mostly used muddy dirt tracks that wound around the landscape. It took ages to get from place to place and it wasn’t very convenient.

 

When Did The Romans Start Building Roads in Britain?


When the Romans turned up, they brought an exciting new road system with them. As the Roman army travelled across the UK, conquering it bit by bit, they built roads as they went. These roads were vital for the Romans to move their army and equipment around Britain quickly and safely.

Ancient stone street in Pompeii with ruins on both sides. Tourists walk under a cloudy sky, mountains visible in the background.
An ancient Roman road in Pompeii. Roads in Britain would have looked similar.

How Many Roads Did the Romans Build Here?


Around 10,000 miles of roads were built by the Romans in Britain between 43AD and 150AD. It’s one of the main reasons why the Roman invasion of Britain was so successful!


Why Did the Romans Build Roads in Britain?


Roman roads connected their important towns, ports and landmarks across the UK. This allowed for easy transport for trade and supplies. It also meant that the Romans could swiftly bolster their army numbers in areas of the country where the locals were getting a bit rowdy, like the barbarian Picts beyond Hadrian’s Wall.


The B6318 , a rolling country road through green fields with a dramatic undulating surface. A tree and road signs line the route under a cloudy sky.
The "Roman Road", now the B6318, that runs parallel with Hadrian's Wall is still used today.

What Happened to All of the Roman Roads?


Amazingly, we still use many of the ancient Roman roads to travel around the UK today! But they look very different in the modern day to when they were built nearly 2000 years ago. Some of the ancient roads are still used by cars but will be wider and covered in tarmac for the use of modern vehicles. Other Roman roads are used as footpaths and bridleways and some Roman features such as ditches and aggers can still be seen today.


Ever wondered if you've travelled on a Roman road and not even realised it?


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