The ancient Inca civilization, thriving from the 12th century to the late 16th century in what is now modern-day Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia, built an extensive and highly efficient road system that spanned over thousands of miles across rugged mountains and harsh deserts. These roads were the arteries of the empire, crucial for the movement of armies, goods, and information. Constructed without the use of wheel-based transportation, which the Incas did not develop, these roads were engin