Throughout history, civilizations have come and gone from the Italian peninsula, each one leaving its mark. From the Etruscans’ stonework to Greek architecture, Arabic cuisine to French rule, all made an impact. And none more so than the Ancient Romans. Their inventions and innovations gave shape to early Italian life and changed the course of civilization as we know it today. So if you’ve ever wondered what the Romans did for us, here are just nine of the many creations and technologies that inspired modern life.

Ask any British school kid what the invading Romans did and you can almost guarantee the first answer is that they built straight roads. The Romans were famous for their love of a direct street and many still criss-cross the landscape of Europe. That’s because the Romans had lots of troops to move around quickly and knew that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.