The Roman Legionary Base at Legio as Capita Viarum and Its Role in the Development of the Roman ImperialRoad Network in Northern Israel

Roman Imperial roads were typically paved in a standardized manner by the engineering corps of the Roman army to enable continuous movement in all weather and terrain conditions, for wheeled transport and pedestrians alike. The roads were constructed from specific points of origin to designated destinations and served the Roman army and administration. Milestones were placed along the roads at fixed intervals, some of which bear inscriptions that provide information concerning their location along the road relative to its starting point and destination, as well as the date of road construction or repair according to the reigns of the Roman emperors. Despite the wealth of information provided by the milestones from the Province of Judea, the local imperial road system is usually depicted at its peak, without reference to its stages of development throughout the Roman period. This article focuses on the issue of road development in the Province of Judea, specifically in connection with the establishment of the Roman legionary base at Legio in the early second century CE, based on evidence from archaeological excavations, surveys and documented milestones along the Roman roads from and to the legionary base until its abandonment, no later than the late third/early fourth century CE.