Roman cities, roads, bridges and aqueducts
The Romans brought their own laws with them, and these replaced the laws of the pre-Roman peoples. When the Romans began to conquer Hispania, Rome was a republic. The Romans were also great architects and engineers: they built new infrastructure all over the Peninsula.
The Romans were so good at building bridges that some are still standing today, like the Alcántara Bridge in Cáceres.
To give towns and cities water, they built aqueducts: channels that carried water from far away. The Aqueduct of Segovia has no cement, only stones!
To keep towns connected, they built long, paved roads (viae). The Vía de la Plata connected Emerita Augusta (Mérida) and Asturica Augusta (Astorga).
Roman cities and their names today
Why are Roman roads still visible today?
Make a model of a Roman road in a shoe box lid. Mix water and glue. Spread a layer of sand over the lid and leave it to dry. Paint glue over it and add a layer of gravel. Cover part of the gravel with plaster of Paris, and while the plaster is soft, press flat stones on top. The plaster is like the concrete the Romans invented. Roads with many layers last for centuries!