Ancient ruins. Pedestrian road. Pompeii/Alamy
The fact that even thousands of years ago people tried to make their lives as comfortable and safe as possible seems strange to us since we know history mostly by its most dramatic moments, such as wars, battles, and executions. However, the significant portion of the true history of humankind lies in the cozy daily existence of ordinary people, who tried to make life easier for themselves and others even in those times. Take, for example, the ancient Roman road. Reflective white stones wedged in between the corners of the main slabs acted as cats’ eyes at night and helped travellers stay on the road in the dark. These stones were not put there for the army or for the benefit of wealthy, influential people, as they had both torches and torchbearers. This was done to take care of an ordinary person who would find themselves on the road late at night.