Mechanism for the construction of Roman roads that exist to this day

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

It would be nice to build a road that will not fall apart, crack and not be covered with holes during 5 years of operation. Better yet, 10 years. One can only dream of a road for a century or even a century. What about a road that will last two thousand years? You think this is impossible. But the Romans were actually able to do something similar. Let's find out all the "dirty" secrets of antique road construction.

The main sign of civilization

It is hard to believe now, but one and a half thousand years ago it was possible to travel comfortably throughout the Mediterranean on paved roads without much difficulty. For seven centuries of their history, the Romans stretched out paved roads with a total length of almost two earthly equators. The high quality road network was one of the greatest achievements of their civilization. Surprisingly, the cobwebs of modern European highways quite closely coincide with the ancient cobwebs of Roman roads.

Interesting fact: you shouldn't have any special illusions about the “secrets of ancestors”. Like today's roads, Roman highways had to be repaired regularly. This is evidenced by the financial documents of the Romans that have survived to this day. Of course, the technology of Roman construction was indeed advanced in many ways. And they also did not have multi-ton trucks, rushing at a speed of 100 km / h under the falling sleet!

Of course, there were more than just paved roads in Rome. There were also unpaved and unpaved gravel roads. However, it was the paved ones that were one of the symbols of the power of the state. First of all, the road was considered an important strategic structure, since thanks to it it became possible to move the foot troops as quickly as possible. An intensive march of infantry in columns at a speed of 4-5 km / h is only possible along a good track with a flat surface. For this reason, at all times, Roman roads were built mainly by legionnaires.

Note: in fact, the construction of roads in the province where the legion was stationed was considered the norm of the soldier's routine. The legionnaires carried out excavation and construction work at an astonishing speed. Locals were almost not allowed to build an important engineering structure. The Romans feared sabotage at an important site.

How was the construction

How were Roman roads built? A fairly detailed description of the technology was brought to us by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, an outstanding Roman architect and engineer who lived in the 1st century AD. So, the construction of any via began with tearing along the route two parallel ditches, the distance between which was from 2.5 to 4.5 meters. This was done to mark the area of work, as well as to obtain data on the local soil. After that, all the soil was removed between the ditches, as a result of which something like a ditch was obtained. As a rule, the Romans tried to get to a solid layer of soil or rocky ground (depth about 1.5 meters).

Interesting fact: Rome was a large state with an emerging bureaucratic apparatus and a developed legal system. Mention has survived to this day that the construction of roads was inextricably linked with serious corruption. It is obvious that they were stealing during the construction of the highway even then.

Further, the road was built on the principle of a puff pastry. First, a layer of "statumen" (support) 20-50 cm thick was laid, which consisted of large rough stones. The next layer of "rudus" (crushed stone), 20 cm thick, was laid out from small broken stones. It was fastened with a binder mortar - Roman concrete, the recipe of which could vary quite a lot depending on the area and access to resources. The third layer was called "nucleus" and was 15 cm thick and consisted of small fragments of brick. This layer could already be used as a road surface, but in most situations the Romans still preferred to lay the fourth layer - "pavimentum" (pavement). It was laid out from large cobblestones.

Interesting fact: Roman roads were built slightly curved. This was done so that rainwater would drain from them.

Road construction took place in a constant battle with the relief. Sometimes the road was raised to an embankment. Sometimes, they cut through rocks and hills. A couple of thousand people with picks and shovels can work wonders. The hardest thing for the Romans was crossing the swamps. However, here, too, there were some engineering tricks. They overcame lowlands and swamps with the help of embankments and the installation of wooden piles. Very often in such places, parallel to the roads, drainage canals also burst.

Interesting fact:Roman shovels did not have a cutting edge; moreover, they were made of wood. Fully. The shovel was only used to throw the earth or load it onto a stretcher. We loosened the soil with hoes.

War is the father of everything

As already mentioned, Roman roads were primarily an important military engineering structure. However, they also had a beneficial effect on the economy. First of all, the roads contributed to migration, the development of the postal service and, of course, trade. By the way, about the mail. Already under the Romans, inns for travelers were created along the roads, as well as special post stations where messengers could change horses.

Interesting fact: It is very funny that despite the entire level of their development, the Romans did not come up with geographical maps familiar to modern man. In ancient Rome, there were no maps at all. Then the "map" was considered a special book containing a verbal description of how to get somewhere from Rome. To facilitate travel, the Romans also installed special track posts along their roads. At the Roman Forum stood the "golden" miliarium aurem of the empire.

However, the Roman Empire collapsed. The roads built by the “sons of Mars” have become one of the gifts of world civilization. Roman roads have been used for centuries for trade and war.