You've probably heard the expression, all roads lead to Rome.

Well, it isn't just a pithy saying to reference how you can take many paths to reach the same goal.

It has a very literal meaning, and its origin comes from a monument that still sort of exists in Rome today.

Learn more about the miliorium aureum in this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. everywhere daily. This episode is

is sponsored by audible.com.

The audiobook I'd recommend which ties into today's show is

SPQR, a history of ancient Rome by Mary Beard.

She gives a comprehensive look at Rome during its Republican and Imperial periods.

If you want to get a great overview of Roman history, this book is a good place to start.

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You might be tempted to think that the phrase

All Roads lead to Rome comes from ancient Rome and you'd be wrong. However the phrase does

come to us from Latin. The earliest use of the phrase comes from an 11th century French

theologian named Elaine Deli who noted in his book, Liber Parabolaram.

Mille Via duccant homous persecula Romum, which roughly translates to a thousand

roads lead men forever to Rome.

In English the Furese first appeared in Chaucer's treatise on the Astrolab in 1391

when he noted right as diverse paths leading the folk to the right way to Rome.

In both these examples, Rome is used in a figurative sense.

Rome is used as a stand-in for some sort of ultimate goal or perhaps even heaven.

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