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Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

euronews.com

41–50 of 55 posts

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#41
post #3

This part is clearly nonsense: > According to the planner’s calculation, the journey would have taken 43 days to cover 1,500 Roman miles. To put that into a contemporary context: the same route by road today can be completed in 14 days (340 hours) on foot, or 16 hours by car (source in Spanish). It would take 340 hours to walk, whether you do it today or in Roman times. Google maps is assuming you would walk for 24 h…

It would take longer now because we have to wait at crosswalks and ask for a code to go to the bathroom

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the case of Spain, many long distance roads are no longer safe for pedestrians as there are cars on them now. Madrid to Milan would be a suicide missions in current day.

Are there no bike paths or foot paths close by? You don’t literally have to walk on the street the cars are using.

This is a Street View link to Via Augusta, one of the oldest roads between Spain and Italy (8 to 2 BC). It’s not walkable anymore. There isn’t an alternative footpath. You might hike on the beach and climb the rocks in between but that is significantly harder than cobblestones.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ACFQnM14CQgXGBBu8

Coordinates (41.1337583, 1.3308702)

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there no bike paths or foot paths close by? You don’t literally have to walk on the street the cars are using.

This is a Street View link to Via Augusta, one of the oldest roads between Spain and Italy (8 to 2 BC). It’s not walkable anymore. There isn’t an alternative footpath. You might hike on the beach and climb the rocks in between but that is significantly harder than cobblestones. https://maps.app.goo.gl/ACFQnM14CQgXGBBu8 Coordinates (41.1337583, 1.3308702)

If I enter Madrid and Milan in Google Maps and select walking, it does show some footpaths to take, no? Those don’t look like major roads.

Don’t know how to share the route without doxxing myself but you can enter it yourself.

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#44
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not if cutting through dense bush, water, bog or rocky environments would be necessary.

I don’t think the Roman street system way covered in dense bush, that was kind of the point

Definitely. Oldest bridges in France are from the Roman era.

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#45
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i’ve walked the via francigena and the italian section has quite a few sections of ancient roman road. they’re admittedly not contiguous, and are worn more extensively now, so i don’t get the same overall experience of treading on the stones for kilometers as they would have. i target 35km/day with a 40L pack and finish my segments within 6-7 hours. asphalt, dirt and grass, and hiking trails (rocks, roots, dirt, etc)…

I'd like to add they were also doing all that wearing leather sandals. Imagine the Roman army with Adidas Ultraboost.

> Imagine the Roman army with Adidas Ultraboost

It wouldn't have been any. After 3 days, the Adidas Ultraboost would have been "kaput"

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a Street View link to Via Augusta, one of the oldest roads between Spain and Italy (8 to 2 BC). It’s not walkable anymore. There isn’t an alternative footpath. You might hike on the beach and climb the rocks in between but that is significantly harder than cobblestones. https://maps.app.goo.gl/ACFQnM14CQgXGBBu8 Coordinates (41.1337583, 1.3308702)

If I enter Madrid and Milan in Google Maps and select walking, it does show some footpaths to take, no? Those don’t look like major roads. Don’t know how to share the route without doxxing myself but you can enter it yourself.

In the example I gave Google will tell you to walk over N340 / Via Augusta. Highly dangerous.

Walking Madrid to Milan Google suggests to walk here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/STmiz37BiKtxe6HX7

(41.9218388, 1.2047772)

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there no bike paths or foot paths close by? You don’t literally have to walk on the street the cars are using.

This is a Street View link to Via Augusta, one of the oldest roads between Spain and Italy (8 to 2 BC). It’s not walkable anymore. There isn’t an alternative footpath. You might hike on the beach and climb the rocks in between but that is significantly harder than cobblestones. https://maps.app.goo.gl/ACFQnM14CQgXGBBu8 Coordinates (41.1337583, 1.3308702)

The pattern of dirt and rocks on the other side of one of the guardrails looks like what you get from people walking it.

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#49
post #29
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm, thats a sad read. But I am not buying 'its the industry' in 2026, this is caused by folks who should and could do better but couldn't be bothered. Its also indicated in the article, young people know its junkfood and know long term effects but simply don't care. If wanting to point fingers aim them at society as a whole, junkfood was well recognized problem 10-15 years ago when these kids were being born.

Mine was a quip, but if we want to go deeper: like any phenomenon, it's obviously a combination of cultural, economic, and social factors; but it's hard not to take the marxist view that it's all about the economy when we get bombarded every second by advertising for food, the composition of which is largely dictated by considerations about profit margins. Even pasta is not produced in the same way as 80 years ago, n…

Well, you are completely correct of course. That being said... even as an european, I prefer, forge myself and push on my kids a different path - don't wait for the system to make your life great, system is flawed to the core due to process we keep using to promote elites to full power (to make it short - nice good humans don't stand a chance in the race of power, society voted for loudest sociopathic assholes doing primitive sweet talk and thats enough, again and again).

Take ownership of your life, and inspire others to do the same. Make choices, understand consequences as much as reasonable, and there is comparatively little to complain.

When I look around since I am not the youngest, the most miserable people are those who just sit back in their 'comfort zone', and expect above to be fixed for them. It ain't coming, their life is a pale shade of what-could-have-been, health goes to crap, so does mood and everything else. Its not comforting place in any way, they are just too scared to experience any form of discomfort to move away from it, and often look for similarly-minded echo chambers where they went their endless frustrations from life they chose for themselves.

I agree state and regulators should be doing their part, massively better, but so should all of us. Those that do have usually much better and longer and happier lives. What more reasons does anybody need.

Re: Ancient Rome's version of Google Maps: how long to reach the beach

#50
The distances are sound, but the estimated times to get from point A to point B are a little bit sketchy.

This year I walked from Utrecht to Compostela in 45 days. That was around 12 hours on the street each day, with the comfiest shoes humanity has ever made and a super market every 15 km at most.

Even then, it was tough af

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