Ancient Roman Engineering: Romans were the first people to really use concrete for major building projects. The use of concrete helped them to develop the dome and the barrel vault and the cross vault.
They used their vaults to build aqueducts to carry fresh water to towns, and they used their engineering skills to build sewage systems to keep their towns clean and healthy.
If you were poor in Rome, you lived in simple flats or apartments – the inside of these places was symbolic of your lack of wealth. These flats were known as insulae and only contained two rooms at the most.
Roman Engineering: Atrium
The rich lived in single-story houses which were built around a central hall known as an atrium. Atrium had rooms opening up off of them and they were also open to the weather as they had no roofs. Many atriums had a trough built into their design so that water could be collected when it rained.
The baths were built beginning in 67AD and the Romans kept adding bath after elaborate bath for four hundred years until the empire crumbled. Over the centuries, Bath the city was built on top of the Roman ruins.
Roman Archeologists
Archeologists believe an ancient temple to Minerva lies underneath the cathedral you can see here in the background. When the Romans came to Bath, they found the native Celtic people worshipping the scalding hot waters as the holy place of the god they called Sulis.
Roman Engineering Aqueducts
The great and highly advanced Roman waterway system known as the Aqueducts are among the greatest achievements in the ancient world. The Aqueducts, being the most visible and glorious piece of the ancient water system, stand as a testament to Roman engineering.
Ancient Roman Structures
Some of these ancient structures are still in use today in various capacities. The aqueducts were built from a combination of stone, brick and the special volcanic cement pozzuolana. While their visible remains leave a definite impression, the great bulk of the Roman waterway system ran below ground.
The Romans were the first ancient civilization to build paved roads, which did not prevent travel during or after inclement weather. Indeed, mud or gravel would hinder, if not completely halt many vehicles pulled by animals or other people, not to mention discourage travelers on foot.
Roman engineers, however, did not stop with just paving Roman roads. Roads were crowned-that is, they were higher in the middle than on the sides to allow water to run off and they often had gutters for drainage along the shoulders. Probably the most incredible engineering feat concerning the Roman road system, though, is how well the roads were built.
