Roads are so old that we are not sure of the origin of the word ‘road’. Most experts think it came from the Middle English word ‘rode’, meaning a ‘mounted journey’. This may have come from the old English ‘rod’ from the word ‘ridden’ meaning to ‘ride’. It hastened when man invented Stirrups.


The Silk Road and its connectors were the major links between China, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. It was 4,000 miles long and began before 114 BC. It was a series of caravan tracks and was more of a series of routes rather than a true road. It was named after the prized silks traded by the Chinese for Western goods.


The term ‘Silk Road’ was not used by those plying its supposed path in the ancient and medieval past. In fact, it was not coined until the 19th century, and only gained wider currency in the 20th century, when the romanticised notion of the Silk Road grew popular. This vision is a modern concept; however, it bears elements of truth. Certainly, exchanges took place between Asia and Europe in the past; they did involve silk and spices, and camels were one of the ‘vehicles’ used. But in the century and more since the term was coined, research has revealed a richer, more intricately connected world whose horizons stretched even farther than first imagined. These connections disseminate culture and ideas. Tourism is often the vehicle of this cultural spread. Cultures influence each other when they interact. Roman Roads were important vehicles of this cultural spread.

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Early Roads

Culture