Highways to Empire: The Inca Road System

Qhapaq Ñan, the Andean Road System, played a dual role in the Inca Empire: it unified vast territories while also contributing to its eventual decline. This extensive network integrated both new and preexisting roads, facilitating communication, trade, and military movement across the empire. The study highlights how the road system's strategic design and maintenance were crucial to imperial cohesion but also exposed vulnerabilities that accelerated its downfall. Research into this ancient infrastructure reveals insights into Inca engineering prowess and the complexities of large-scale empire management.

Brown, J. (2016). Highways to Empire: The Inca Road System. Civil Engineering Magazine, 86(1), 40–43. https://doi.org/10.1061/ciegag.0001065