New Research Challenges Iconic Saying About Rome's Legacy

WHO:

NY Post - Tom Brughmans, a classical archaeologist at Aarhus University in Denmark, is the lead researcher of the study.

Fox News - Taco Terpstra, a professor of history and classics at Northwestern University in Illinois, commented on the study.

WHAT:

NY Post - A new study challenges the saying "All roads lead to Rome."

Fox News - The study analyzed roughly 190,000 miles of Roman roads.

Fox News - The study found that Rome was not uniquely central to the empire's road network, with provincial capitals playing significant roles in overland travel.

Fox News - Constantinople emerged as a more central hub for overland travel after it became the imperial capital in the fourth century A.D.

Fox News - The study's findings complicate the traditional understanding of the proverb, suggesting it should be rephrased to "All roads lead to Rome and everywhere else."

WHERE:

NY Post - The study analyzed Roman roads spanning Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Fox News - Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, Turkey, is highlighted as a central hub.

WHEN:

NY Post - The study was published on September 15 in the journal Nature Communications.

Fox News - Constantinople became the imperial capital in the fourth century A.D.

WHY:

Fox News - The study aims to provide a more accurate understanding of the Roman Empire's road network and its connectivity.

HOW:

Fox News - The research team combined existing data to create a new map of the Roman Empire's road network and analyze its structure on an empire-wide scale.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 17:00 UTC)

A new study led by Tom Brughmans, a classical archaeologist at Aarhus University, challenges the long-held belief that "All roads lead to Rome," revealing that provincial capitals played significant roles in the Roman Empire's road network. The research, which analyzed roughly 190,000 miles of Roman roads across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, found that Constantinople emerged as a more central hub for overland travel after it became the imperial capital in the fourth century A.D. The study suggests rephrasing the proverb to "All roads lead to Rome and everywhere else," providing a more accurate understanding of the empire's connectivity.