A Conversation for Roman Roads and Bridges
Quibbles
Maolmuire Started conversation Oct 28, 2003
Nice entry, just a couple of things I noticed:
The Roman Republic also built roads and bridges, surely 100 years or so could be added to the B.C side?
The entry mentions cement, but doesn't mention concrete at all!
"extended east to west from the area now known as Iran to France" Surely Britain, Spain and Portugal are further west than France?
"All of the people in Rome had specialised jobs..." Most of the population of Rome was unemployed, and restive, and needed bread and circuses to keep their minds off rioting. One of the (many) causes of the downfall of the Empire.
"Since all of the merchants, messengers and scholars were all constantly travelling..." Sorry, I know this is a *really* trivial quibble, but just how is that possible?
Cheers,
Maolmuire
Quibbles
Blackberry Cat , if one wishes to remain an individual in the midst of the teeming multitudes, one must make oneself grotesque Posted Oct 28, 2003
Generally a very good article, but heres a couple more minor quibbles from the pedantic.
The Roman empire began much earlier when the Romans defeated the Carthaginians in the Punic Wars. These led to Rome acquiring territory outside Italy (Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, much of Spain, and some of North Africa, and of course to protect these they began acquiring others). The Roman Republic may not have had an Emperor but it was still an empire.
The Romans did not use chariots. These were long obselete and Julius Caesars troops were amazed when they invaded Britain and met the chariot-driving Britons.
Quibbles
Watermusic Posted Jan 7, 2004
Yes, a good article, but your recipe for Roman Cement/Concrete is wrong. You have left out the lime (Quicklime made by heating limestone rock) and sand or gravel. This is the basic recipe for any cement or mortar, depending on the ratio of the solids.
The addition of the volcanic rock was the clever Roman discovery that made the mixture set even underwater.
Watermusic
Key: Complain about this post
Quibbles
More Conversations for Roman Roads and Bridges
Write an Entry
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."