Roads and Aqueducts
Roads and Aqueducts
Roads
Perhaps one of the more visible signs of Roman influence in modern culture is that of roads. Before Rome, roads as we know them today, did not exist. In ancient times there were two means of travel: one foot or horseback through the country, and ships. In order to connect the capitol to its minors cities and make travel easier, roads were built. The Via Appia, Rome's first national highway, stretched 32,000 miles from the capitol to Rome's southern province of Campania. The construction of these roads was careful and calculated. Measuring tools were used to make sure they were straight, regardless of terrain. Once a course was lain, tench was dug and lined with rocks. The trench was then filled with boulders and sand. Then came a layer of gravel compacted with clay. Finally, thick paving stones were lain, angled to allow water to run off the sides. These roads were incredibly efficient and connected Rome is a way that had been impossible before. When looking at the Via Appia, one is struck by the surprising resemblance it has to a modern road. The idea of paving a path from one place to another was not a modern idea, but has been around since ancient times. Whether they be cobblestone or asphalt, roads were a Roman idea that has shaped the way we travel today.
Aqueducts
One of the most groundbreaking and influential achievements of Roman engineering are the Aqueducts. With the construction of the Aqueducts, Rome was able to cleanly and comfortably sustain the 1 million people living in the capitol city. Eleven lines carried a combined 200 million gallons of water into the city each day. The water began at mountaintop springs and make a 20, 30, sometimes 40 mile trek into the city. The aqueducts are simple in theory: water seeks its lowest point. With this theory in mind, the Romans built the lines on a gradient, declining several inches every 100ft. This slope was carefully calculated and could not deviate, no matter the landscape.
Roads
Perhaps one of the more visible signs of Roman influence in modern culture is that of roads. Before Rome, roads as we know them today, did not exist. In ancient times there were two means of travel: one foot or horseback through the country, and ships. In order to connect the capitol to its minors cities and make travel easier, roads were built. The Via Appia, Rome's first national highway, stretched 32,000 miles from the capitol to Rome's southern province of Campania. The construction of these roads was careful and calculated. Measuring tools were used to make sure they were straight, regardless of terrain. Once a course was lain, tench was dug and lined with rocks. The trench was then filled with boulders and sand. Then came a layer of gravel compacted with clay. Finally, thick paving stones were lain, angled to allow water to run off the sides. These roads were incredibly efficient and connected Rome is a way that had been impossible before. When looking at the Via Appia, one is struck by the surprising resemblance it has to a modern road. The idea of paving a path from one place to another was not a modern idea, but has been around since ancient times. Whether they be cobblestone or asphalt, roads were a Roman idea that has shaped the way we travel today.
Aqueducts
One of the most groundbreaking and influential achievements of Roman engineering are the Aqueducts. With the construction of the Aqueducts, Rome was able to cleanly and comfortably sustain the 1 million people living in the capitol city. Eleven lines carried a combined 200 million gallons of water into the city each day. The water began at mountaintop springs and make a 20, 30, sometimes 40 mile trek into the city. The aqueducts are simple in theory: water seeks its lowest point. With this theory in mind, the Romans built the lines on a gradient, declining several inches every 100ft. This slope was carefully calculated and could not deviate, no matter the landscape.