6 most mysterious Roman engineering wonders built 2000 years ago
The Roman Empire is one of the greatest civilizations in history, and its influence is due in large part to its large-scale engineering achievements.
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- Roman engineering played a central role in the empire's enduring influence, with innovations like road systems that supported military, commercial, and cultural expansion.
- The use of Roman concrete, especially with its self-healing properties due to lime blocks, contributed significantly to the longevity of ancient structures like the Pantheon.
- The Pantheon in Rome, built around 128 AD, holds the record for the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world and remains one of Rome’s best-preserved ruins.
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- The Square House in Nîmes exemplifies Roman temple design with its Corinthian architecture and has strongly influenced neoclassical architecture worldwide.
- Verona's amphitheater, predating the Colosseum by decades, still serves as a concert venue today thanks to its durable design and thoughtful restoration.
- Segovia’s aqueduct, constructed without mortar, is a testament to Roman precision and remained operational until the late 20th century.
- The Temple of Garni, though its Roman origins are debated, represents the furthest eastern reach of Greco-Roman architecture in its time.
The concrete (cement) used by Roman engineers is crucial in these developments and achievements, and many examples can still be found in the surviving infrastructure, such as long and long road systems through which the army can move the invading hordes, and these roads facilitate commercial and cultural exchange.
Here are the greatest engineering achievements of ancient Rome, which were built 2,000 years ago and still stand today.
1. Pantheon, Rome, Italy (circa 128 AD)
It is the best preserved of Rome's ancient ruins with a diameter of 42 feet, and its dome remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built.
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I recently discovered what the secret behind its longevity is: Roman concrete contains clumps of calcium carbonate called "lime blocks," which provide so-called "self-healing" properties.
Water that seeps through cracks in concrete has been shown to dissolve calcium carbonate, creating a solution that is then recrystallized in order to fill the gaps.
2. Square house, Nîmes, France (about 2 m)
It is probably the best Roman temple currently preserved. It is also an ideal Roman temple for reference study, as described by the architect and writer Vitruvius. Built in the Corinthian style, it has a deep gazebo (portico) with six front columns (hexagonal style) leading to a triangular base.
Not surprisingly, it has become a model for many neoclassical buildings around the world, including the Virginia State Capitol by Thomas Jefferson.
3. Piazza Verona, Verona, Italy (about 30 m)
The Verona Amphitheater was built about 40 years before the Colosseum was built in order to host gladiators and gladiator competitions. Surprisingly, it is still in use today as a concert venue, and its oval shape and stepped seating design are very similar to modern stadium designs.
It can accommodate 30,000 people as a maximum capacity. It was destroyed by earthquakes during its history and was subsequently restored especially in the Renaissance by the Republic of Venice.
4. Tower of Hercules, A Coruña, Spain (second century AD)
It is the oldest lighthouse in the world built by Emperor Trajan and designed after the original plans of the Alexandria Lighthouse. The tower was restored in the eighteenth century, but its original Roman shape is still very clear.
Legends say that the place of the tower witnessed one of Hercules' greatest victories - his defeat of the giant tyrant Girion.
5. Segovia Canal, Segovia City, Spain (circa 50 m)
The great Aqueduct of Segovia is among the best preserved Roman engineering works - and remained in use until 1973.
This structure has been maintained with a perfect balance by gravity (no cement or mortar connecting the stones together) for two thousand years – each stone has been perfectly shaped to fit tightly to the next.
6. Temple of Garni, Garni, Armenia (circa 77 AD)
Built at an enormous height of 4,600 feet, it is "the easternmost building of the Greco-Roman world."
The original building collapsed after the 1679 earthquake and was rebuilt in the twentieth century (albeit using original stones), so its inclusion here is somewhat out of context.
The extent of Roman involvement in its construction is also controversial, as it was probably built by King Teridatus I with the support of Emperor Nero, who provided it with Roman craftsmen.
