Transcript Roman Achievements

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
AQUEDUCTSA 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