Roman Ruin known as the Third Temple
Photo Source: USGS

It seems that I just keep hearing more and more about great things the Roman's did. There is no doubt that they were the master builders of their time, but I personally think that they were the master builders of all time. How did these ancient people construct buildings and projects that are still around 2,000 years later? Some of the stuff they created is still used, which is even more incredible. We build a road and a few years later, if it is lucky enough to last that long, there are pot holes in it. It makes you wonder how anything could be left of Roman roads today. These roads were built to last with large pieces of stone set in place by engineers that were very precise, not contractors that were building roads who made the lowest bid. Sometimes the low bid system that the government uses would be better served by a system that promises to create the strongest road or structure. It might cost more to build, but also might be cheaper in the long run as much less repairs would be required.

The Roman army seems to have built where ever they went. If we look around the world, we find vestiges of this building in many different places. The building accomplished two things, first it kept the soldiers busy so that they didn't have too much time on their hands and secondly it improved and sometimes fortified the areas where the troops were stationed. There was a third thing that all this building sometimes accomplished and that was the awe of the people and in some cases attacks were prevented because of this. A case in point was when Caesar built the first bridge across the Rhine and marched in to what is Germany today. The Romans were tremendously out numbered but the Germans were so amazed at this feat that they stayed clear of the Romans. Caesar eventually went back across the river and dismantled the bridge as he went. Archaeologists in the Netherlands have just discovered, what they believe, is a Roman military road. Roads were very important to the Roman army because they could march much faster and move material faster along a road. If they wanted to move their troops to a certain area in the quickest amount of time, they would march them along a road. In this case it is believed that the road was built so that they could move against fierce Germanic tribes in the Roman northern territory. The road was found only 30 miles from Amsterdam. This wasn't just an ordinary road however, it was a road that was fortified. It is believed that two forts sat on the road, Traiectum and Fectio. Today the sites of the forts are cities, Utrecht and Vachten. When the Romans built this road, they lined the side with wood to keep the sides of the road from eroding and since wood contains rings, archaeologists are examining this wood, to try and get the exact age for the road.

Two Roman Ruins in Libya
Photo Source: NASA

The road was used at the border of the northern territory and was a quick response route to fight border incursions. Apparently the road is still in great condition. Imagine digging up Route 80 2,000 years from now, you probably wouldn't know what it was. These roads were called limes by the ancient people of the area and the Romans. Right now other countries in the area are looking for more of these and it looks like they might be declared world heritage sites by the U.N. It is believed that this road was used for 300 years, from approximately 50 A.D. to 350 A.D. This wasn't the only discovery in the area. A complete covered barge was found with living quarters on it. It is believed that this is how the soldiers got their pay. The paymaster would sail on the river paying the soldiers along the way.

Europe is full of Roman structures. In Autun France there is a fortified gateway known as Porte S. Andre. It is a two story arched gateway that contains 4 arched entrances side by side. The 2 in the middle are for wagons and chariots, while the small arches on each end are for people to pass through. It was thought to have been a gate from Roman fortifications. On the second story are a series of 10 arched openings. Fifty four semi circular towers were said to have protected the gate. The site seems to still be in great shape, as far as the gate is concerned. Two of these gates still survive.

In Ephesus, Turkey, the Romans built a beautiful library. When they built it, they were careful to have the outside wall, the support wall, separate from the inner walls that would house the collections. It is just a facade now, but one can't help but admire it's construction. It had steps leading up to a landing with several dual columned doorways. There was a second floor with the same design, but the openings seem to be windows instead of doors, but it is hard to tell because they could also be doors leading out to the flat area above the door openings on the first floor, sort of a balcony set up. Other parts of the building, or maybe other buildings are flanking the sides making a courtyard. The work is superb and it is hard to believe the age of this structure. It reminds me of some of the buildings built at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.

A Roman bridge made from a stone arch still spans a river in Spain. Can you imagine this? Water has been licking at this thing for maybe 2,000 years, but yet, here it is, still doing it's job. Boy we could have used these guys working for us. I wonder how many people think that the Golden Gate Bridge will last even 500 years? Maybe that is an unfair comparison since it is a suspension bridge, but are there any bridges in this country that span rivers that will be around 2,000 years from now?

Roman Bath in the city of Bath, England
Photo Source:
Copyright © Mary Ann Sullivan. Published With Kind Permission
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/bathbaths/bathbaths.html

England has a city named Bath which derives it's name from the Roman baths that were built there in the 1st century. It was a sleepy village that the Romans turned into spa and originally named Aquae Sulis. The bath structure is a huge building with columns around the edge of the water supporting a roofed area. Originally the bath building had vaulted ceilings, but they are gone now. Amazingly the rest of the structure is still in fairly good shape.

Roman Coliseum
Graphic Source: National Archives

We all know that the Romans built many theatres all over the place, the king of which is the Roman Coliseum, so I have sort of avoided talking about these more common structures and have instead concentrated on lesser know accomplishments in the Roman building field. So how come all these great Roman building are still here? One reason is that the mortars and plasters they used were far better than the ones we use today. There are no modern mortars or plasters which are commercially available, which reproduce these characteristics. That is unbelievable, isn't it? Another reason is that their buildings and roads were built to last, they weren't made from cheap materials, but from the best stuff, fitted precisely together. The Roman architects were really good and so must have been the construction men. It is hard to imagine that they did all this with block and tackle and sometimes a wheel that people or animals would go inside and walk in to raise and lower pieces of structures. It reminds me of a hamster wheel. We would do well to have as much pride as the Romans did when building our roads and buildings.