Roman Causeway
The "Tin Way" was used as an access road, which allowed the Romans to conquer tribes such as the Callaici, the Astures, and the Vacceos. Many sources, among them the Antonine Itinerary, describe the route to leave from Emerita Augusta, (present-day Mérida), capital of Lusitania, towards Asturica Augusta (present-day Astorga) through Tarraconensis.
The road contains physical evidence that shows a Roman constructed road (called the, or a, via lata, meaning "broad road") that has been almost unchanged at various sections. It was conceived and built as a trade route for the exploitation of gold, as mentioned by Pliny the Elder who held high office as Procurator in Hispania Tarraconensis in 73 AD. It ran from Asturica Augusta (Astorga) in Northwestern Spain, to Emerita Augusta (Mérida) in southwestern Spain. Hence Hannibal's armies, and their elephants, must have passed along it.
The road's first official name was Via Delapidata (meaning "Paved Stone Way"), stretched around 900 km (560 mi), and had a branch that joined with the Via Augusta (or Via Heraclea). After its establishment, the Via Delapidata crossed Hispania from Cádiz, through the Pyrenees, towards Gallia Narbonensis (southern France) and Rome in the Italian Peninsula. Currently, the road passes through Salmantica (Salamanca), Metelinum (Medellín), and Castra Caecilia (Cáceres). The Via Delapidata also served as an access road from Hispania Baetica.
The "Silver Way" was, technically, never a belt road for silver commerce. The name was transmogrified from Via Delapidata to Vía de la Plata as a result of phonetic confusion. However, during the Roman Empire it is known that it was used to connect two main areas of the highest importance at both end, the gold mines of Las Medulas and the copper mines of Rio Tinto.
Read more about this topic: Via De La Plata
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)