The Road

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Have you ever heard the march of legions on a lonely country road? The Romans constructed thousands of miles of roads that have influenced the flow of ideas, battles, and pilgrimages for two millennia. Almost everyone in Britain lives near a Roman road, if only we knew where to look. It all began with Watling Street, the first road marked when the Romans invaded in 41 CE. Temporary campaign roads soon followed, extending west towards Rochester and the Medway, where the first major battle occurred. As the Britons retreated to the Thames, the road continued to carry troops and supplies. Over the years, as the legions advanced across England, Wales, and into Scotland in search of wealth and tribute, they left an extensive road network that permanently altered the landscape, embedding the story of their conquest into the land itself. Christopher Hadley, acclaimed author of Hollow Places, embarks on an epic journey to trace an elusive Roman road from one of the busiest hubs in Roman Britain. His quest is fraught with challenges; time and nature have obscured many clues, erasing bridges and altering the landscape. Hadley uncovers traces of archaeology, history, and folklore—poems, church walls, and haunting tales—creating a mesmerizing narrative that reveals the secrets of two thousand years of history.