Marc Heifetz

Period 1
Adv. World History
11/22/10

Roman Engineering

The ancient Romans were known for their brilliant engineering

that has stood through the test of time. Most of their 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 the Greek 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 two examples I

choose to write about Roman Engineering are the Roman aqueducts

and Roman roads.

The aqueduct is one of the most brilliant engineering

constructions in the ancient world. 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 equaled 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 built between 40

and a little over 500km in length.

 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 30 million gallons to

the city each day. This is Roman Construction great engineering feat

has not been equaled until the 19th Century.

The construction of the Roman aqueducts were created and

assembled with Chorobates. The Chorobates used in this engineering

were used to level terrain before construction. The Chorobates were 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.

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 of water a day to Rome.

The second example of Roman engineering is the developments

of the Roman road system. I learned that a common phrase is that ``all

roads lead to Rome.” The roads built by Romans were the best for

hundreds of years. Due to their quality and reliability some of the roads
and bridges built at those times are still used in the modern world. One

of the most famous roads was the so-called ``Silk Road” connecting

the Roman Empire with trade countries. Roads were very important for

military forces of the Empire and usually Roman legions took part in

building the roads as well. Along with the expansion of the Empire

roads were transformed from military routes to trade directions. All the

mail exchange was done also with the help of the roads.

Romans built various types of roads, including corduroy and

paved roads rubble was used in order for the roads to remain dry as

water could flow between the stones, like a drainage system. There

were special rules worked out - the Twelve Tables which told the

necessary width and curves of the roads. Mostly Romans concentrated

on straight roads, but due to deep grades these roads were not so

convenient and later on Romans switched to building longer roads.

Researchers stated that Romans had learned to build roads from

Etruscans, although there were contributions from other cultures as

well the Romans would just perfect them and make them their own.