# Roman roads

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-roads/83199>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 22, 2001, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-roads/83199 "2001-09-22T13:40:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-roads/83199/1 "2001-09-22T13:40:13Z")

</div>

Which side of the road did the Romans march on?

I understand that the only reference to this subject is a picture of two riders travelling in opposite directions along a road and they are passing right shoulder to right shoulder. But this does not mean that it was the norm.

There must be more proof than this.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-roads/83199/2 "2001-09-22T14:49:20Z")

</div>

A quote from [this page](http://www.travel-library.com/general/driving/drive_which_side.html):

> [@](#):
>
> In late 1998, the remains of a Roman quarry was discovered at Blunsdon Ridge, near Swindon, England. It is one of the largest and best-preserved Roman quarries known. Ruts in the road leading to this quarry are much deeper on one side of the road than on the other. If it can be assumed that the side of the road with deeper ruts was the side used by loaded carts leaving the quarry, while the side with shallow ruts indicates empty carts arriving, then we can conclude that at this particular location, at least, the  
> Romans drove on the left. (Sources: a web page in the SwindonWeb Local News Archives for October 1998 which has since disappeared;
> 
> The other evidence comes from a Roman coin. Robert Pease writes that he has seen a picture of a denarius from between 50 BC and 50 AD showing two horsemen riding past each other, right shoulder to right shoulder (i.e. each keeping to the left side of the road).

Arjuna34

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-roads/83199/3 "2001-09-22T22:53:00Z")

</div>

Warning; WAG coming up;

this could be something to do with the sword/handshake thing being doen with the right hand; this hand is nearest to anybody that you pass travelling in the opposite direction.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Firx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Firx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firx)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-roads/83199/4 "2001-09-22T23:12:23Z")

</div>

**Mangetout** hit it right [on the head](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_021b.html). We know that Cecil doesn’t make guesses.