The very first Roman Road was begun in 312 BC, to link Rome with Capua in the south. It was then later extended to reach Brindisi in the east. The route, known as the Appian Way, set new standards in road building because it provided a dry and relatively smooth surface which was firm underfoot and thus easier to travel on and it was also well drained.
Whilst this may not seem significant breakthroughs, these advances actually meant that the journey time of horses and chariots was greatly speeded up.
Moreover, the road was almost straight, which meant that troops or horses could easily travel from Rome to Capua in the most direct route possible.
For some 800 years the Romans continued to build many roads throughout Europe and some of these remained in reasonable repair for another 1,000 years, with a few still being in use until the late 18th Century.