How did the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, indirectly help Paul in his missionary journeys?

Caesar Augustus, the first Roman emperor, established a time of peace and order which extended from Syria in the east to Spain in the west. A network of Roman roads had been gradually built over the years, and he had these improved, extended and maintained to make travel across the empire safer and faster. Major Roman roads were about 6 m wide, level and straight, with mile markers to indicate the distance to the next city. The roads were underlaid with layers of gravel and small stones, with a top layer of large flat stones, cambered for good drainage.

Paul, walking long distances on his missionary journeys, would have made use of some of these Roman roads:

• Via Sebaste: from Perga, through Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, to Lystra (1st missionary journey – Acts 13:13-14:20).

• Via Egnatia: from Philippi to Thessalonica (2nd missionary journey – Acts 16:12-17:9).

• Via Appia: from Puteoli to Rome (3rd missionary journey – Acts 28:11-16).