The evening times., 1896-04-30
ROADS OF THE OLD ROMANS.
Even to This Day They Show Soiidity
OF CONSTRUCTION.
Neu York InGlependent.

Mllestones were erected along the entire
length OF the military road. They were
usually culumnar in shape, though the
cippus milestone is found frequently. from
personal observation / know only the
miiestoncs OF Asia Minor ami Syria. These
are round moholithic columns. about seven
to nine rect high. with u diameter at the
base OF two and onc-half to four feet, but
tapering Off to one and one-haIf feet at
the bluGty rounded top.
They are roughly hewn, and inscribed
with the name and full titles of the emperor
during whose reign the road was built, in
Asia Minor usually a proprietor, during
whose term of office the actual building
or repairing was done. Beneath this IL
scriptIOn the distance was engraved. often
est with no statement as to the place from
which the distance was measured, though
sometimes both the starting point and the
Elective point Ire given.
The Roman milestones are of great va lue,
not merely in order to locate in a general
way the line OF iapsed and forgotten roads,
and for fixing the various starting points
of the Roman system in such countries as
Asia Minor and Syria, but they are also
of Importance for the reconstruction or
provincial or local history, geography and
chronology.
In the course OF time the roads top
dressing of gravel and cement wore ava v,
ant! COstIS TtpdIs idi 10 De fDdue Dy llc
provincial governor, who, eager to claim
all honor due himself, caused the fact OF
his restitution tvias ct ponies restittuit is
one OF the stock phrases 10 be engraved on
the mllestones- Accordingly, II often
happened that this new Inscription was
engraved directly over or else oyerlapped
the original inscription. Sometimes as
many as three inscriptions occupy the same
space on the stone.
..All roads lead tn Rome
the military roads conferred in Rome and
spread out in 4 vast network that embra ccd
all the provinces of Europe, Asia, Africa
and the islands. such as Britannia, Sicily,
Sardinia. etc. Distances along the roads
of Italy were. Of course, measured from
Rome. The central milestone was the
mliarium aureum. erected by Augustus in
the forum.
1t has been recognized by some in GER
tain remains near the arch OF Septimus
Seyerus- But the governmental centers
of the provinces were also centers of the
provincial road systems. and miliaria aurea
were erected in all these centers, such as
Milan (for Gallia Cisalpinal. Lyons tfor
Galiia Celtica). Rheims (for Gallia Belgica),
Tavium (for Cappadocia1. Melitenc tfor
Armenia). Palmyra (for Palmyreuel.
In conclusion it must be remarked that
all streams crossed by military roads were
spanned by bridges. OF which there were
three kinds-those made entirely of wood.
and those made of stone and wood and
those made of stone throughout. Many
of the all stone bridges are still in use.
Several Of them span the Tiber to this
day. both in and outside of Rome.
Not only this. but Roman bridges are
still used by semi-barbarous peoples who.
perhaps, have never even so much as heard
the name of Rome A silent. but eio-
quent, reminder of Rome's solicitude even
for her most distant provinces is the noble
Roman bridge at Kiakh in kOmma gene.
Every stone of the defiant old bridge is
vocal. telling In pathetic way of the in
evitablc passing of human glory. pomp and
power.