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01-13-2002, 01:36 AM

Does anyone know if there has been any recent, in the last 3 years or less, research on Roman surveying techniques and equipment? References would be appreciated, and not just military contexts (sorry if going a bit off-topic). Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/uluciuscassius.showPublicProfile?language=EN>Lucius Cassius</A> at: 1/13/02 2:38:10 am

01-14-2002, 06:40 AM

I know I'm moving a little off topic, but does anybody out there know how to BUILD Roman Surveying equipment?

01-17-2002, 08:19 AM

Salve, 
 
This is a recent title on the subject: 
 
M. J. T. Lewis, Surveying instruments of Greece and Rome (Cambridge 2001) ISBN 0-521-79297-5 
 
There is a review on it here. 
 
Regards, 
 
Sander van Dorst

**richsc** · 01-17-2002, 10:52 AM

I was wondering about the build too; a few German reenactment units seem to have the groma, but I'll bet they made it themselves. Perhaps you can get an iron maker to do it if you have the plans. Aulus, Legio XX.
the High Noise, Low Signal person for RAT.
ICQ 940236

01-17-2002, 10:41 PM

Thank you Sander. Reference will be very useful. 
 
Gray

**richsc** · 05-03-2002, 02:30 AM

I stumbled across a short page on Roman surveying, part of a larger site on the history of surveying: 
 
www.surveyhistory.org/rom...veying.htm 
 
It is an interesting point about Roman maps: 
 
"Large scale maps were greatly distorted in the E-W direction because the methods used for locating relative latitude and longitude were not sufficiently accurate for cartographical purposes" Richard Campbell, Legio XX.
http://www.geocities.com/richsc53/studies/
ICQ 940236
Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showLocalUserPublicProfile?login=richsc>RichSC</A> at: 5/3/02 4:31:11 am

**richsc** · 05-03-2002, 11:45 AM

Several sites list the main three types of equipment a Roman engineer would have: 
 
Chorobates - the level 
groma - right angles 
dioptra - for measuring angles 
 
There are also two 'big machines', a crane called the 'goat' and a pile driver called 'the sheep'. Now hum, why would the Romans give it that name? If you recreate that one I think you'll have trouble explaining it to the grade school kids. 
 
www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/ia57...outils.htm Richard Campbell, Legio XX.
http://www.geocities.com/richsc53/studies/
ICQ 940236

05-03-2002, 01:33 PM

Hello, 
 
LEG VI VIC from Germany is currently reconstructing a groma. I'll post some photos if we have some. We hope to get the groma ready for use this summer. 
 
Another important thing for use in surveying is the "decempeda" - a surveyors rod of ten feet length.

Caius Fabius · 05-07-2002, 06:19 PM

The main question I would have about the 10 foot pole would be which measure of "foot"/ The Pes Monetalis or the Pes Drusianus? There is evidence that both were used in overlapping time periods for measuring Roman constructions. 
 
p.M.=0.296 meter or 11.65 inches 
p.D.=0.332 meter or 13.1 inches 
 
When measuring the various barracks and ruins, you find that they often divide evenly into units of either p.M. or p.D., sometimes having both measures used in the same "site" on different structures. "Just before class started, I looked in the big book where all the world's history is written, and it said...." Neil J. Hackett, PhD ancient history, professor OSU, 1987

05-08-2002, 12:17 PM

That's indeed a problem. We decided to use the Pes Monetalis for our reconstructions. It seems to be "official" length, because to Pes Drusianus is mainly used in the provinces. 
 
And to turn it round: if you could find both length used at the same building, it wouldn't be a fault, when we had rods of both length for use in our presentations!

Muzzaguchi · 05-28-2002, 02:35 AM

Lucius Cassius, 
 
What about Brian Campbell's Roman Land Surveying - JRS Monograph 9 2000(?) it contains texts and translations of the surveyors - Frontinus, Urbicus, Hyginus ... 
 
Muzzaguchi.

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