Earlier this year, a viral TikTok trend emerged, in which women asked the men in their lives how often they think about the Roman Empire. Answers from the bemused interviewees ranged enormously, from “several times a day” to “not all that much.” But the general consensus was this: a lot of men think about the Roman Empire a lot of the time.   

And why shouldn’t they? After all, the ancient Romans conquered vast amounts of land, advanced civilization, and were responsible for astonishing feats of innovation. In this article, we’ll focus on the last of these achievements, exploring everything from Roman roads and engineering to architecture and aqueducts. Just how advanced was ancient Rome and what legacy does it leave behind?