Rome, Campidoglio: the Miliarium (milestone), point of departure of the consular roads by the Capitoline Wolf.

How far to Rome? Ask the stone.

Milestones divided roads into numbered miles; a Roman mile was 1,476 m. Travelers read distances and officials’ names right on the stone.

Roman roads: Milestones and the birth of the mile

A provincial Roman milestone, at Alto Rabagão, Portugal (road from Bracara Augusta to Asturias)

The muscle of a milestone

A typical miliarium stood 5 feet tall, 20 inches wide, and weighed over 2 tons—set deep for stability.

Roman roads: Milestones and the birth of the mile

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