Which fact most clearly shows the difficulty in defending the Roman empire against invasion?
A.
At its height, the empire likely had a population as high as 100 million.
B.
At its height, the empire comprised nearly 1.7 million square miles of land and water.
C.
Over the course of its history, the Roman empire built about 55,000 miles of paved roads.
D.
The Mediterranean Sea stretches about 2,300 miles west to east and about 600 miles from Italy to the African coast.
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the answer is B
Yes, the answer is B. The vast size of the empire made it difficult to defend against invasion from all sides.
The correct answer is B. At its height, the Roman empire comprised nearly 1.7 million square miles of land and water.
The reason why this fact most clearly shows the difficulty in defending the Roman empire against invasion is because of its vast size. With such a large empire spread across various regions, it became challenging for the Roman army to effectively defend every border and coastline from potential invaders.
To defend an empire of that size, the Roman army had to stretch its resources thin, making it difficult to maintain a strong defense at all points. Additionally, the vastness of the empire made communication and coordination between different parts of the empire more challenging.
Invasions from different directions, such as the Germanic invasions in the north and the Sassanian Persian invasions in the east, put significant strain on the resources and military capabilities of the Roman empire. The sheer size of the empire made it easier for invaders to target vulnerable areas or find alternative routes around heavily fortified parts.
In summary, the immense size of the Roman empire made it challenging to defend against invasion due to the strain it placed on resources, the difficulty in coordinating defense across vast distances, and the ability of invaders to exploit weaknesses in the empire's extensive borders.