!!!Römerstraßen

Roman Roads: In ancient Rome, a highly developed road system was of 
great importance to the transport of goods, the quick transfer of 
troops and the connection between Rome and the provinces as well as 
among the various provinces. Built on public ground, Roman roads were 
financed by public means and maintained by the provincial authorities. 
Stone columns (mile stones), placed along main roads at one-mile 
intervals (approximately 1,500 metres), were named after the 
Emperor who had the road built and indicated the distance to the next 
town. Road books (itineraries,  Itinerarium Antonini) and maps ( 
Peutingersche Tafel) passed on the names of villages and road 
stations, e.g. ( Tamsweg) as well as the distances between them. Many 
Roman roads followed prehistoric routes. The most important Roman 
roads in Austria were the road running along the Danube frontier from  
Carnuntum through Vienna, St. Poelten, Poechlarn, and Lorch ( 
Lauriacum) to Passau; this road was of particular strategic 
importance. Near Lorch a road branched off the east-west route leading 
through Wels and Salzburg to south Germany. Roads crossing the Alps 
ran over the Reschenscheideck Pass, the Fern Pass, and the Brenner 
Pass. Other Roman roads ran from Salzburg over the Radstaedter Tauern 
Mountains and the Laussnitzhoehe to Teurnia, and from Wels over the 
Pyhrn Pass and the Neumarkter Sattel Pass to  Virunum. Two Roman 
roads, which were probably built during the wars against the  
Marcomanni crossed the Hohe Tauern at Korntauern and Mallnitzer 
Tauern; although they were outstanding feats of early road 
construction they were only used for a short time. The  Amber Route, 
running through Lower Austria and Burgenland, was based on a 
prehistoric trade route.

!Literature
E. Stain, Zu roemischen Strassenstationen im Alpenraum, 
1982; G. Winkler, Die roemischen Strassen und Meilensteine in Noricum 
- Oesterreich, 1985; A. Lippert (ed.), Hochalpine Altstrassen im Raum 
Badgastein-Mallnitz, 1993; J. Stern, Wo Roemerraeder rollten, 1994.


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