Roman Construction

The ancient Romans were known for their brilliant engineering that have  stood the test of time. They were brilliantly manufactured to make the ancient Romans  more comfortable. Most of the inventions were improvements of older engineering ideas,  inventions, and concepts. The Romans improved the recipe of cement, which was  invented in Egypt, and created concrete. The Romans were greatly influenced by theGreek and the Estrusan.The construction and technology for bringing running water into the cities  were invented in the East. The construction of roads, were common then as it is now.  The Romans improved the design and perfected the construction so well it is used today.  The three examples I choose to write about Roman Engineering are first the Roman  aqueduct.   This construction was used to supply water to the people in the city. The  aqueduct is one of the most brilliant engineering constructions in the ancient world.It set a standard that has not been equal ed Centuries after the fall of Rome.  Many of the cities in Rome, today still use the aqueducts to supply water for the city.  The aqueduct is estimated to be between 40 and a little over 500km in length. It is  29miles (47) km; above ground because most Roman aqueducts ran beneath the surface  of the ground. To build underground makes the water disease free as well as helped the  aqueducts from being attacked by enemies.The Roman aqueducts were sophistically built and remarkably thinly  technically standard. It has a gradient of only 34cm per km, lowering 17m vertically with  its entire length of 50km. Largely powered by gravity, it moves large amounts of 6  million gallons of water a day. The combined aqueducts in Rome supplied around  1million cubic meters which supplied 30 million gallons to the city each day. This is  great engineering feat has not been equaled until the 19th Century.The construction of the Roman aqueducts is the use of Chorobates. The  Ch orobates used in this engineering were used to level terrain before construction. The  Chorobates was a wooden object that was supported by four legs. It had a flat broad top  with an engraved half circle. The half circle was filled with water to make the angle  which there is no water will be measured.The Groma is another tool used in the construction of the aqueduct. It  was used to measure right angles. It consisted of stones that hung off four sticks and was  perpendicular to one another. Distant objects marked out against the group of stones are  placed horizontally. There were nine aqueducts built, in ancient Rome supplying 38  million gallons a day to Rome.  A second example of Roman engineering is the Roman roads. These   roads were an essential to the growth of Rome because they supplied the Roman Empire  to move enemies in War. They were also created to hinder the enemies organizing to  attack Rome. The road, in its greatness was 85,000 km containing 372 links. The  Romans became adept at constructing the roads for political, military and commercial  reasons.The roads were long and important for the stability and expansion of the Roman Empire.   The Roman Roads were built first with Roman Army builders who  cleaned the ground of trees and rocks. They then build a trench where the road was  going to be laid and then filled it with large rocks. They put the large stones, pebbles,  cement and also sand and packed it down making a firm base. They added a layer of  cement that was mixed with broken tiles, paving stones creating the surface of the road.The stones were cut to fit tightly together. They placed kerbstones at the side  of the road to hold the paving stones and create a channel were the water can run.  The third example of Roman engineering, are Roman Bridges. The Romans  were first to build these bridges and make them long lasting. The Roman bridges were  built with stones with an Arch as its basic s tructure. The Romans used a new form of  cement called concrete to build the bridge. The Bridges were built in 142 BC, and was  named the Ponte Rotto.It is the oldest Roman stone bridge built in Rome. The Roman Bridge  characteristics are many they are 5 meters wide. Many have a slope and lean slightly.  Roman bridges have rustic work. The Roman Bridges stonework has a changing stretcher  as well as header courses which consist of a layer of square stones that are laid  horizontally. The end faces outwards, in the next layer of square stones.  The stones are connected with dovetail joint or with metal bars.  Indentions found in the stones were created by the gripping tools used for the  workers to hold onto.   The Romans also used tools such as slaves to move building  blocks of stones as well as levers and pulleys. They used chisels, concrete, plumb bob, a  bronze square, bronze dividers, and bronze foot ruler to build the bridges and the  powerful, and mi ghty city of Rome.Works CitedRoman Architecture- http://www.iol.ie/~coolmine/typ/romans/archie2.htmlThe Roman’s Page.Mark Warner, 2007-Roman Roads-The Downs FM; The amazing podcastOf the downs CE Primary School-Teaching Ideas; Subject: History. http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/history/romanrd.htmChris Trueman; The History of Ancient Rome- History learning site; http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/roman_engineering.htmChris Trueman; Roman Roads-The History of Ancient Rome-History learning site; http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/roman_roads.htm