1. . '' .

? At its peak, Rome ruled a vast area encompassing , and At its peak, Rome ruled a vast area stretching from to and ? ' Many scholars believe Rome could rule over such a vast territory thanks to ? 500 15 . 500 15 As the saying goes, all roads led to Rome. Rome built ? 15 Rome built a total of 150,000 km of roads; Rome built an extensive system of roads totaling 150,000 km ? The roads stretched from Rome in all directions reaching as far away as , and ? The roads carried people and goods; The roads allowed the transport of travelers and goods ? helped diverse cultures bloom ? built after the unification of China to keep out barbarian invaders ? has become part of Chinas cultural heritage ? the Qin Dynasty 1. < VERSION 1 > Rome built the largest empire in human history. At its peak, Rome ruled a vast a rea encompassing Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. It lasted over 1000 y ears. Many scholars believe Rome could rule over such a vast territory for such a long period thanks to its extensive road system. As the saying goes, all roads led to Rome. Over a period of 500 years, Rome built a total of 150,000 km of roads, which , emanating from Rome in all directions, reached the freezing North Sea, the sco rching Saharan desert and the Atlantic Ocean. These roads carried people and goo ds and, in times of emergency, armies and military supplies. They linked East an d West and helped diverse cultures bloom. And this, more than anything else, was what allowed the Romans to maintain their vast empire for 1,000 years. The Great Chinese Wall is the opposite example. The wall was built following the unification of warring kingdoms to keep out barbarian invaders. The wall, a 6,4 00 km long structure, has become part of the nations historical heritage but those who built it, the Qin Dynasty, collapsed just 15 years after its completion. < VERSION 2 > Rome built the largest empire in human history, ruling, at its peak, a vast terr itory stretching from Europe, to the Middle East and to North Africa. It lasted over 1000 years. Many scholars attribute Romes ability to rule such a huge territory for such a lon g period to its extensive road system. We still say all roads lead to Rome and for g ood reason. Over a period of 500 years, Rome built a total of 150,000 km of road s. This road system, with Rome at its center, stretched to as far as the freezin g North Sea, the scorching Saharan desert and the Atlantic Ocean. It allowed the transport of travelers and goods and, in times of emergency, armies and militar y supplies. It brought together East and West and led to the blooming of diverse cultures. And this, more than anything else, was what allowed Rome to remain a great empire for 1,000 years. The opposite example is the Great Wall of China, constructed after the nations uni

fication to keep out barbarian invaders. At 6,400 km, the wall is now a proud pa rt of Chinas historic heritage but the Qin Dynasty collapsed just 15 years after b uilding the wall.