Augustus, the first emperor of ancient Rome, erected the golden monument, known as the "Golden Landmark", in the Roman Forum in 20 BC to serve as a symbolic starting point for all roads in the sprawling empire. These roads actually formed the backbone of the world's first continent-wide transportation network, according to Reuters.
Researchers have now conducted a detailed structural analysis of the empire's road network, which extends nearly 300,000 kilometers and crosses Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
The study showed that the old saying, “All roads lead to Rome,” was not entirely accurate, and that the most appropriate place for this saying was Constantinople, the later capital of the empire (currently Istanbul).
The researchers in the study concluded that the Romans preferred to build straight roads, but the rugged terrain sometimes hindered the achievement of this goal.
They documented the existence of a relationship in many areas between ancient Roman roads and modern highways.
The Romans, who were skilled at engineering and construction, built roads extending from the deserts of Morocco and the Arabian Peninsula in the south and east, all the way to Scotland and the Atlantic Ocean in the north and west. They linked these roads to navigable rivers and sea lanes to form an integrated transportation network.
“This infrastructure meant that a vast region became more integrated,” said archaeologist Tom Brugmans of Aarhus University in Denmark. “It provided a continent-sized launching pad for the spread of people, animals, goods, ideas and pathogens.”
Brueggemans, who helped prepare the study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, added that “Roman legions were traveling on roads to respond to threats, provide relief to their colleagues, and colonize new lands... but the roads themselves were mostly used to move repeatedly between farms and fields or to local markets to sell agricultural products.”
Land distances from Rome were measured from the golden landmark, but was this huge ancient city really the center of the network?
"Do all roads lead to Rome?" Brueggemans said. "Not necessarily."
He added: “Rome is located in a central location for maritime navigation in the Mediterranean, but it is not specifically central to the Roman road network. We found that the provincial capitals had excellent locations on the roads in their provinces, making it easier to administer the provinces and collect taxes effectively.”
Ankara in Türkiye, London in Britain, and Corinth in Greece were some of these capitals.
Brueggemans added: “Rome itself was in a central location on the roads established on the coast of Italy overlooking the Sea of Tarana. But when we looked at all the movements within the entire Italian peninsula, we were shocked to discover that the most central route actually followed the opposite Adriatic coast, bypassing Rome altogether.”
Emperor Constantine moved the capital to Constantinople in the early 4th century AD.
“This new capital was strategically located at the junction of Europe and Asia, and our research has revealed that it was unusually central for overland travel across the entire empire, much more so than Rome,” Brueggemans said.
He added, “It is located on the Bosphorus Strait, and we know that ferries used to cross this strait in ancient times, effectively linking European and Asian land traffic.”
These ancient methods contributed to organizing interactions between hundreds of millions of people for more than two thousand years because a number of them continued to be used for a long time after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the year 476 AD and the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire, also called the Byzantine Empire, in 1453.
Many modern highways follow the legacy of ancient ones.
“A great example of this is the Via Augusta, which extends from Cádiz in southern Spain to the Pyrenees,” Brugmans said. The road passes under a triumphal arch called the Arch of Beira between Tarragona and Barcelona, where you can clearly see that it follows the same path as the modern highway (N-340).”
The incident of the arrest of a person in Minya Governorate (southern Egypt) in possession of 151 artifacts dating back to the ancient Egyptian eras and the Greek and Roman eras as a result of illegal excavations has renewed the issues of the “forbidden trade” in antiquities, which is criminalized by law.
The Egyptian Ministry of Interior canceled the continued efforts of the agencies to combat the crimes of possession and trafficking in antiquities in order to preserve the country’s wealth and national heritage. In this context, information and investigations of the Tourism and Antiquities Police Sector confirmed that a criminal element in Minya Governorate possessed antiquities with the intention of trading them.
According to a statement by the Ministry, “After codifying the procedures, he was arrested at the Minya Police Station, and (151) various antiquities were found in his possession (2 archaeological coffins - 37 limestone, bronze and faience statues - a statue base - an amulet - 3 vessels - a pottery bottle - 97 coins - a number of various antiquities). When confronted, he confessed that the seized antiquities were the result of illegal excavations and excavations for antiquities in one of the regions. Jabaliya police station in Abu Qurqas police station, and his possession of it for the purpose of trafficking, and by presenting the seized items to the concerned authorities, it was reported that the seized pieces were all antiques dating back to the Pharaonic, Greek, and Roman eras.”
The security services had previously arrested many similar cases, including the arrest of a person in possession of 277 antiquities in Minya last April, and the seizure of 9 people in possession of 118 antiquities, statues and various pieces in Cairo Governorate, last August.
Egyptian law criminalizes the trade in antiquities and illegal excavation of them, and Law No. 117 of 1983 specifies the powers and responsibilities of excavation, with the Supreme Council of Antiquities responsible for them. Otherwise, the penalties for illegal excavation of antiquities and trafficking in them reach life imprisonment and a fine of 5 million pounds (one dollar equals about 52 Egyptian pounds).
For his part, Dr. Abdel Rahim Rayhan, Director of the Media Office of the Council of Arab Archaeologists and Head of the Campaign to Defend Egyptian Civilization, explained that “there is a state of obsession among some of the Egyptian people to dream of getting rich quickly through illegal excavation of antiquities; This requires the state to move quickly to take some measures to stop the excavations and secret excavations of antiquities, by tightening penalties, working quickly to fully register archaeological sites, increasing tight security over archaeological sites and areas, and conducting security patrols to limit the spread of this phenomenon, as it is considered a waste of the history and civilization of Egyptians and Egyptian antiquities.
He added to Asharq Al-Awsat that the matter “requires new amendments to the Antiquities Protection Law, including securing protection for those who secretly report excavation work, and major financial rewards.”
He pointed out that “there is a great danger to the antiquities that result from secret digging, and it is a disaster by all standards. These antiquities are smuggled and sold at public auctions abroad, and we have no rights to their return. Because they are not registered, and we do not have evidence that they were released illegally, and it is strange that when smuggled Egyptian antiquities are discovered abroad, the foreign side demands proof that these antiquities are Egyptian, and when Egypt responds that they are Egyptian antiquities, but they are not registered, the foreign side considers it a justification for selling these antiquities at auctions.”
“Put singing and music before you, throw all evil behind you, and remember the joys, until the day comes of landing in the land that loves silence,” with this sentence carved on the wall of an ancient Egyptian cemetery in Luxor, the Egyptian musician Rajeh Daoud began his speech in celebration of the Egyptian Day of Music, which coincides with the anniversary of the passing of the “people’s artist” Sayed Darwish (who passed away on September 15, 1923), one of the most important symbols of renewal in music.
Daoud cited the words of the world’s great philosophers, including Schopenhauer: “All arts aspire to be music.” Nietzsche: “Without music, life would be a mistake,” and Hans Christian Andersen: “When words fail, music speaks.”
The Egyptian musician said that music was not a luxury for the ancient Egyptian, but rather a part of his life and civilization. Music was present in work, celebration, rituals, and other occasions. Rather, music was always in connection with the rhythm of life itself.
He added, "While the ancient Egyptians knew musical instruments, and depicted players, singers, and dancers on the walls of temples and tombs, today it is our turn, with all the technological tools and communications that cross seas and continents at our disposal, to revive those images and records into music that resounds throughout the universe."
Daoud emphasized that “Sayed Darwish was a turning point from the world of salons and elites to the worker, farmer, soldier, and street, and the path was continued after him by Al-Qasabji, Zakaria Ahmed, Abdel-Wahab, Al-Sunbati, Umm Kulthum, Abdel-Halim Hafez, Baligh Hamdi, Muhammad Fawzi, and Muhammad Al-Muji in a diverse bridge that differed in its forms, form, and musical spectrum.”
The sectors and bodies of the Ministry of Culture participated in a number of events to celebrate this occasion in Cairo and all Egyptian governorates, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.
Director Adel Hassan, head of the National Center for Theater, Music and Popular Arts, said that the Ministry of Culture’s program to celebrate the day includes the program of the General Authority for Culture Palaces, and includes a number of concerts through the artistic bands affiliated with the Authority in the governorates of Egypt, most notably: the Cairo Arab Music Ensemble, the Giza Cultural Center Choir, in addition to various Arab music bands.
The Supreme Council of Culture is holding an educational session entitled “Before the Curtain... Sayed Darwish and the Operetta Industry,” moderated by Dr. Hanan Abu Al-Majd, Professor of Music History and Analysis, and Dean of the Higher Institute of Music (Conservatoire).
The Fine Arts Sector participated in holding a drawing workshop for a group of senior plastic artists in Sayed Darwish neighborhood in Kom El-Dikka in Alexandria during the period from September 7 to September 13, as well as in the Corridor 35 hall on September 21. The Artistic House for Popular and Performing Arts will participate in presenting a special performance by the National Band for Popular Music in Salah Jaheen Hall, while the Academy of Arts will participate, headed by Dr. Nabila Hassan. With a concert by Umm Kulthum Arab Music Band, led by Maestro Mohamed Abdel Sattar.
The General Authority of the National Library and Archives will also participate in the celebration with a symposium entitled “Egyptian Music Day.” The symposium will be accompanied by a documentary exhibition about the popular artist Sayed Darwish, which includes a group of photos and documentary materials that showcase his artistic career and his prominent contributions to the history of Egyptian music and singing.
A large celebration is scheduled to be held on the small stage of the Cairo Opera House, which will witness the honoring of 5 icons of Egyptian music and singing, in recognition of their artistic contributions to the history of Egyptian music. They are “musician Salah El Sharnouby, artist Aida Al Ayoubi, Dr. Nair Naji, Dr. Khairy Al Malt, and artist and composer Ahdi Shaker,” during which the musical band of the National Center for Theater, Music and Popular Arts will present song selections that represent the history and heritage of Egyptian music.
Prince Bashtak Palace, “the House of Arab Singing” on Al-Muizz Lidin Allah Al-Fatimi Street, affiliated with the Cultural Development Fund, recalls the experience of the musician Sayyed Darwish, through an artistic evening entitled “The People’s Artist... Sayyed Darwish,” on the occasion of the 103rd anniversary of his death.
Egyptian music critic Mahmoud Fawzi Al-Sayyed believes that “devoting a day to music in memory of Sayed Darwish comes within the framework of Egypt’s commemoration of its symbols. Sayyed Darwish is known to be one of the most important innovators in Egyptian and Arab music in general. He changed the form of song in Egypt, taking it from the streets and fields to the community of fishermen, employees and other groups of people,” adding to Asharq Al-Awsat that “commemorating his memory and dedicating a day to music in conjunction with this anniversary is very important, and it is important to preserve this ritual and commemorate it.” In this way every year, new generations are introduced to him, and it is enough that he is the only artist with whom Fairouz sang one of his songs. I hope that the celebration will be greater every year, and that he will always contribute to restoring the legacy of Sayyed Darwish.
Sayed Darwish was born on March 17, 1892, in the Kom El-Dikka neighborhood in Alexandria. He traveled to Cairo in 1917, participated in the 1919 revolution, and presented the song “Arise, O Egyptian,” which is considered a symbol of the Egyptian renaissance. He also composed nearly 20 plays, including “Fisher,” “Tell Him,” “The Good Ten,” “Al-Hilal,” and “Cleopatra,” as well as He composed many roles and songs, and one of his most important and prominent works is the anthem “My Country, My Country,” from which the national anthem of Egypt was taken.
