Roman Achievements

Achievements Architecture and Engineering Roman Laws, Citizenship, and Philosophy Roman Language and Writing Roman Art

ROMAN ACHIEVEMENTS The Romans developed innovations that are still used today; what made them such influential innovators? Definition of “INNOVATION”: something new or original (such as an idea, an invention, a device, a method)

ROME: AN EMPIRE OF INNOVATION Rome’s location on the Mediterranean Sea allowed for trade and cultural diffusion (blending of cultures) with other people and nations

ROME: AN EMPIRE OF INNOVATION Through the cultural diffusion, the Romans were able to borrow the best ideas from other civilizations (especially the Greeks) and improve upon them

ROME: AN EMPIRE OF INNOVATION The wealth of the Roman Empire, especially during Pax Romana, enabled the Romans to promote culture and invention

Roman Architecture The Romans were tremendously skilled builders; they improved upon Greek designs with two new architectural features: arches and domes

Roman Architecture Vaults: these are curved structures over an opening that can support its own weight; arches were used to create enormous buildings like the Coliseum and the Pantheon

Roman Architecture DOMES: they created vast open spaces and ceilings inside buildings (like the Pantheon) and magnificent exteriors

Roman Engineering: Aqueducts One of the Romans’ greatest engineering feats was channeling water to their cities throughout the Empire Roman engineers built the aqueducts to move the cold, clear water from springs to towns; sometimes they would be up to 250 miles long

Roman Engineering: Aqueducts Some Roman aqueducts are up and still in use today; one in Spain is 95 feet above the ground and 2388 feet long

Aqueducts- a way to carry water There wasn’t enough water in the city of Rome. The Romans brought water in from the surrounding countryside. The water was brought in by tubes called aqueducts.

Why arches? Water is heavy stuff. The Romans needed a structure strong enough to hold all that water to move it from the mountains into the city.

Where did the water go? The water was transported in concrete tunnels. The tunnels were underground if possible. Sometimes the tunnel had to go above ground.

How did the aqueduct work? The water flowed in a tube on the top of the aqueduct called a water channel. The arches supported the water channel.

What did the water channel look like? The water flowed through a rectangular channel. The channel was lined with concrete. Romans invented concrete.

Modern arches US Capital

Cathedrals A large important church Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Roman Architecture The Romans built arenas (like the famous Coliseum in the city of Rome) so thousands of people could attend “circuses” (entertainments such as gladiator battles)

Roman Architecture What are three similarities between the Roman Coliseum and the Georgia Dome?

Roman Engineering: Roads The Romans built the largest and longest-lasting network of roads in the Ancient World At the height of the Empire, Roman roads stretched for 56,000 miles and included 29 major highways

Roman Engineering: Roads At first, the roads were built to move soldiers quickly, but eventually the roads served many people for many purposes, especially as trade routes