How did Ancient Roman travel without maps

Ancient Romans navigated their vast empire without modern maps by relying on:

- **Milestones and Road Markers:** These were placed along the roads, indicating distances to cities and key points, essentially serving as a primitive navigation system.
- **Itineraria (Route Books):** These were written lists or descriptions of routes, distances, and sometimes stops between cities, rather than visual maps. Examples include the "Itinerarium Antonini," which detailed travel routes across the Roman world.
- **Local Knowledge and Guides:** Travelers often depended on local guides or the knowledge of experienced travelers, traders, or soldiers who knew the routes, terrain, and landmarks.
- **Natural Landmarks and Celestial Navigation:** They used prominent natural features like mountains, rivers, and stars for orientation. The sun and stars helped in determining direction, especially for sea travel.
- **Verbal Directions:** Word-of-mouth was crucial, with inns and rest stops along the roads being places where travelers could gather information on routes ahead.

This blend of infrastructure, written records, human knowledge, and natural navigation allowed Romans to travel across their empire efficiently, despite the absence of detailed cartographic maps.