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We've all seen and read how Roman roads were built, from the carefully prepared substrate up to the neatly cut and fitted paving stones.
What I'm wondering is this: Most pictures show the roads looking like the modern Via Appia -- pretty much a neatly fitted surface of stones. But I've seen a couple of sources state that the top surface actually had a thin layer of cement to smooth the paving stones, or at least the joints between. Of course, over the centuries that cement would have crumbled and washed or eroded away.
Naturally that would take a lot of regular maintenance, replacing the cement every few years or so (depending on erosion and traffic).
Does anybody here know for sure? Thanks.
Wander/ Wayne Anderson
Wayne Anderson/ Wander
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I understood roman road surfaces to vary according to the available supplies. Some were gravelled as well. I hadn't heard about the cement though: seems the maintenance would be ferocious from the hobnails everyone wore. They didn't have horseshoes so that would not I think have been a problem.
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
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Thanks for the info and that link! Excellent photos. It only makes me wish my Spanish were as good as your English is. I can stumble through it, but it's slow going.
You wrote: "I have read that in the cities taht stones were used to avoid the cars and horses go too speedy. "
You're saying the Romans invented speed bumps. After all the good things they gave us...!
Wayne Anderson/ Wander
Wayne Anderson/ Wander
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Many road pages, but not one Roman bridge site. As if roads function without bridges. That does not do justice to the first great bridge builders - globally.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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Just out of curiosity, I may have asked this before, but, when I was in Toledo, I saw what looked to be cyclopean type stone work, that could have been part of a bridge foundation, in the gorge between the walled town and the military academy( or some thing, I can't recall for sure)across the gorge. Does anyone know if this was Roman or does it predate them?
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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Quote:Just out of curiosity, I may have asked this before, but, when I was in Toledo, I saw what looked to be cyclopean type stone work, that could have been part of a bridge foundation, in the gorge between the walled town and the military academy( or some thing, I can't recall for sure)across the gorge. Does anyone know if this was Roman or does it predate them?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puente_de_ ... Dn_(Toledo )
(Link does not work. See WP: Puente de San MartÃn (Toledo) )
but more probably the Puente de Alcantara (that in Toledo, not the famous one 100 km further downstream). It is built on Roman foundations. Span IIRC about 25 m.
There must be also the remains of a third bridge abit downstream in the plain.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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Thanks Restitvtvs! Laudes.
These are good links, but given the vast academic credentials a comprehensive and informed work on Roman bridges would receive, not much more than preliminaries. In many cases, the authors do not even know for sure the bridges clear spans!
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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The one I am thinking of is just foundations blocks at the bottom of the gorge. No bridge. Thanks for the information and link.
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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Restitutus,
add now [url:u7ccow01]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Roman_bridges[/url]
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
