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What is the meaning of the phrase, "All roads lead to Rome"?

Question #81095. Asked by LuisR..
Last updated Aug 23 2016.

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mike32768 star
Answer has 16 votes
Currently Best Answer
mike32768 star
19 year member
103 replies avatar

Answer has 16 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
"All roads lead to Rome means that there are many different ways to reach the same outcome or destination"
link https://www.bookbrowse.com/expressions/detail/index.cfm/expression_number/67/all-roads-lead-to-rome?

Response last updated by LadyNym on Aug 23 2016.
May 27 2007, 7:20 PM
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lanfranco star
Answer has 11 votes
lanfranco star
19 year member
4407 replies avatar

Answer has 11 votes.
Originally, that ancient and unattributed saying wasn't quite so benign. It basically meant, No matter what you do, no matter how you try to get around it, you'll be doing things the Roman way, because Rome is the place the matters, the center of the world. Get used to it." The well-planned and guarded Roman road system was designed to make sure that the provinces couldn't use it against the Romans.

May 27 2007, 8:02 PM
queproblema
Answer has 5 votes
queproblema
18 year member
2119 replies

Answer has 5 votes.
That's what I thought (think), too, Frankie, but couldn't find a reference. And, more benignly, that Rome was the hub of the universe.

Link, anyone?

May 27 2007, 8:32 PM
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lanfranco star
Answer has 6 votes
lanfranco star
19 year member
4407 replies avatar

Answer has 6 votes.
A few cliches associated with Rome, including "Tutte le strade portano a Roma":


link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols_and_Trivia_of_Rome

May 27 2007, 9:15 PM
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igotmeajd star
Answer has 12 votes
igotmeajd star
17 year member
95 replies avatar

Answer has 12 votes.

The origins of the phrased stemmed from the fact that, initially, all roads did lead to Rome.

The Romans were extremely skilled road makers...and the first to establish such a system of roads. They were also the first to use mile-markers.

The Romans designed their roads purposefully so that they all led to Rome, with Rome the central hub. This was done to hinder provinces from organizing resistance against the Empire.

The History Channel recently aired an excellent documentary on this subject...I think it was part of their "Engineering An Empire" series.

This link is helpful...it's all about Roman roads.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_road


May 27 2007, 11:44 PM
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