Why might a young woman traveling to her native town for a census fear the journey?

Why might a young woman traveling to her native town for a census fear the journey?

• A. The roads were well patrolled by the army.
• B. The Roman military could not patrol the roads, making kidnapping possible.
• C. The roads were closed to citizens.
• D. Tax collectors would ambush travelers.

Answer: (B)

Travelers in ancient Rome faced real dangers on the roads when security patrols were scarce. For someone returning to a hometown to be counted in a census, the lack of military patrolling meant criminals or kidnappers could operate with little risk of intervention. Kidnapping travelers for ransom or slavery was a known risk in times and places with weak road protection, so the journey would be feared because there was no guaranteed protection along the routes. If the roads had been well patrolled, fear would be much less warranted, since soldiers could deter or stop would‑be abductors. Roads being closed to citizens isn’t a typical or needed reason for fearing such a trip, and ambushes by tax collectors don’t fit the census context as the primary threat. The key idea is the absence of road patrols creating a real risk of kidnapping.

Travelers in ancient Rome faced real dangers on the roads when security patrols were scarce. For someone returning to a hometown to be counted in a census, the lack of military patrolling meant criminals or kidnappers could operate with little risk of intervention. Kidnapping travelers for ransom or slavery was a known risk in times and places with weak road protection, so the journey would be feared because there was no guaranteed protection along the routes.

If the roads had been well patrolled, fear would be much less warranted, since soldiers could deter or stop would‑be abductors. Roads being closed to citizens isn’t a typical or needed reason for fearing such a trip, and ambushes by tax collectors don’t fit the census context as the primary threat. The key idea is the absence of road patrols creating a real risk of kidnapping.