The roads of the Roman territory beginning at Aquileia, as well as their extensions i.e. routes from the middle part of Danube to Baltic coast, along which the amber and other goods were conveyed.
Freehand drawing and the text on the blog, based on the scientific publication: The main Amber Route at the time of the Roman Empire by Jerzy Wielowiejski
The roads joining the North-Eastern Italia (Italy) with the Upper and Middle Danube:
Aquileia - Santicum - Virunum - mountain Pass Pyhrn - Lentia - Lauriacum (the main road). This road built by Celts, and next rebuilt by Romans had, originally, mainly the commercial character. On the other hand, since the end of the 2nd century, in the transport with Lauriacum, the military and administrative needs prevailed.
The ancient road in the Austrian Alps.
Aquileia - Carnuntum (the amber road) through Emona, Celeia, Poetovio, Salla, Savaria and Scarbantia. Besides, there was the connection with Savaria through Arrabona to Brigetio, whereas, from Scarbantia there went two branches to Vindobona. In pre-Roman times, this route was of a local character passing round major natural obstacles. It served, first of all, to all needs of particular tribal connections. After conquering Pannonia and Noricum, the Romans quickly adjusted this road to long-distance needs and already in the time of August, straightened the stretch Aquileia - Emona having built a shorter, though steeper route through the mountain pass Piro. A remarkable drainage works were carried out, a lot of bridges were built, many road surfaces were improved.
Lentia - Lauriacum - Vistula mouth (the amber route), the route passed through (...) the Vyšebrod Pass towards Budziejovice Valley and then along Veltava (Vltava) to Czech Valley. From there the route went through three big concentrations of Roman imports findings over upper Laba (Elbe) across the Polish Gate near Kudowa to Kłodzko Valley and then northwords reaching Odra in Wroclaw (Wrocław) region. The evidence for the existence of amber trade was given by three big amber stores in Wroclaw - Partynice settlement from I century B.C. Further the tradesmen presumably went towards north-east and as far as Prosna river in Kalisz region.
(...) It seems probable that Celts during the last century B.C. followed such waterways as Prosna - Warta - Struga - Gąsawka - Lake Pakoskie - Noteć, and then went to the low Vistula. Apart from this west waterway, there was used the east land route through central Kujawy, which passed the Vistula near Otłoczyn. From there, the travellers turned towards north-west and through the Chełmża region reached the Vistula crossing it between Chełmno and Świecie. Next river crossings were in the regions Grudziądz-Rządz-Osiek, Opalenie-Kwidzyn and Gniew at the mouth of Wierzyca river. (...) The tradesmen reached Gdańsk Bay both following the Vistula stream (in Kaszuby coastal area) and its branch Nogat.
Carnuntum - Baltic Coast (the main amber route), first the route went through Zohor or Stupava up Morava river acros the Quadi territory. Next it turned north-eastwards through Moravian Gates in the direction of a big concentration of settlement of Przeworsk culture in Głubczyce upland with the centre near Nowa Cerekiew in Opole province.
The farther route northwards is difficult to be reconstructed because of
the thick forest dividing the upper Odra from upper Prosna. It could
have been the inter-tribal land which was probably by-passed by
tradesmen from the west and along Prosna to Kalisz region, where several
routes crossed.
The main amber route presumably went in the north-east reaching Rumin near Konin where the crossing through Warta was convenient. After crossing it, the route went first westwards, through Kleczew and Paniewo in Konin province, and then northwards along the west side of Gopło lake reached a multi-functional settlement at Krusza Zamkowa in Bydgoszcz province near the crossing across Noteć. Then the route went north-eastwards and came to the crossing across the Vistula near Otłoczyn. The further route north-westwards to Chełmno and next to the Baltic along the Vistula was essentially similar to the Lentia - Lauriacum - Vistula mouth route, however the east side of the river was preferably used. From the Wielbark - Gościszewo region over Nogat, there was the connection through the settlement in Elbląg upland and aquane of Zalew Wiślany with the biggest amber layers on the Samla-land Peninsula (Sambian Peninsula).
The east branches of the amber route coming out from Brigetio-Celemantia (...) reached the upper Odra, and the route from Vindobona to the mouth of Odra.
The tradesmen, first of all, made use of the land transport. In the Roman roads, carts driven by mules, donkeys or horses were used and northwards from Danube by beasts of burden.
