h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Roman Roads and Bridges - A1159760
Author: Researcher 239363 - U239363

Hi I wrote this last year and thought it might be good for the eg. Tell me what you think!

Hi, another good entry! when writting on h2g2 it makes it easier to read if you leave a clear line bettween each paragraphs, and again some sub headers wouldn't go amiss.

But these are both excellent entries, a great start to joining h2g2

Hi, another good entry! when writting on h2g2 it makes it easier to read if you leave a clear line bettween each paragraphs, and again some sub headers wouldn't go amiss.

But these are both excellent entries, a great start to joining h2g2

alright thanks for the sugestion!

Yes, a good entry indeed!

I think there's a typo in the URL of the Britain Express site. Too many "e"s I think.

Cheers!

Oops! Sorry about that!
thank you!

Would anybody else please read this? I'd like to know what you think!

Hello

Do you think it is worth mentioning the marker stones they had every so often along the road (I might be wrong but I have a vague memory that they might be more than milestones)

Other than that point it seems ver comprehensive

Researcher PSG

Hello,

I agree with most of what's been said already. Very good and thorough entry.

I think there is some repetition that could be trimmed down. Also, some inconsistences. Early in the entry you state that the Romans built bridges that would last a long time and carry a lot of weight. But later on there's mention of temporary pontoon bridges. I'm sure there were circumstances when they ony needed the latter, but it needs explanation.

Awu.

It might be worth doing a section on road and bridge construction and clearly seperating up the military and economic effects of the roads and bridges.

Just a thought

Researcher PSG

This is very well written. I think it goes overboard on how the Roman Roads are still in use today. In fact many of the old Roman Roads have been abandoned, because they were too straight. When the Romans met a hill, they just went over it. This is ok for troops on foot, but is not suitable for today's mechanised transport. Cars and lorries are not so good at going up steep hills, so modern roads tend to be more curved.

There's a misprint: Calvary should be cavalry.

Didn't the Roman Empire begin with Julius Caesar, and the Civil War, which took place in the late 1st century BC?

I think Rome was suposed to begin with Romulus and Remus, I'm not sure about the empire.

Researcher PSG

The Empire would have started with the first emperor (Augustus). I don't know the date. But Rome was already building roads and presumably bridges before that.

I thought Augustus was after Julius, or was there 2 Augustus's?

Researcher PSG

I would have thought that the Roman Empire started with the Augustus, too Gnomon. He was 31 or 27 BC according to which source you read.

I don't think that the Romans invented the arch. They were great at improving on already existing ideas. I think the Chinese used the arch before the Romans did.

It's certainly true that the Romans were using arches when everyone to their east were using flat lintels on top of pillars. So it is unlikely that the Romans learnt about arches from China, even if the Chinese knew about them too. It seems more likely that the Romans invented them, even if they weren't the only ones to do so.

Yeah, I agree about Augustus. I'm just pointing out that the entry says the empire started in 200 AD, which doesn't appear to be close.

Caesar preceded augustus, but the roman government consisting of the senate, and two consuls as leaders was established c.510 BCE Caesar was at first a democraticly elected consul with crassus. Caesar started the dictatorship after this point. After his death, the empire was split between his nephew of the West, Octavian, and in the East Antony. A war started between the two. Antony lost and octavian took on Augustus as his name.


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