▁miles ▁from ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf ▁to ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea , ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁p aved ▁and ▁was ▁only ▁partially ▁maintained . ▁In ▁around ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁B CE , ▁the ▁M ino ans ▁on ▁the ▁Greek ▁island ▁of ▁Cre te ▁built ▁a ▁fifty - kil ometer ▁( th irty - mile ) ▁road ▁leading ▁from ▁the ▁palace ▁of ▁G ort yn ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁island , ▁through ▁the ▁mountains , ▁to ▁the ▁palace ▁of ▁Kn oss os ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁island . ▁Un like ▁the ▁earlier ▁road , ▁the ▁M ino an ▁road ▁was ▁completely ▁p aved . ▁ ▁Pl umb ing ▁ ▁An cient ▁M ino an ▁private ▁homes ▁had ▁running ▁water . ▁A ▁bat ht ub ▁virt ually ▁identical ▁to ▁modern ▁ones ▁was ▁un ear th ed ▁at ▁the ▁Palace ▁of ▁Kn oss os . ▁Several ▁M ino an ▁private ▁homes ▁also ▁had ▁to ile ts , ▁which ▁could ▁be ▁fl ushed ▁by ▁pour ing ▁water ▁down ▁the ▁d rain . ▁The ▁ancient ▁Rom ans ▁had ▁many ▁public ▁flush ▁to ile ts , ▁which ▁em pt ied ▁into ▁an ▁extensive ▁se w age ▁system . ▁The ▁primary ▁se wer ▁in ▁Rome ▁was ▁the ▁Clo aca ▁Max ima ; ▁construction ▁began ▁on ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁sixth ▁century ▁B CE ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁still ▁in ▁use ▁today . ▁ ▁The ▁ancient ▁Rom ans ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁complex ▁system ▁of ▁aqu ed uct s , ▁which ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁transport ▁water ▁across