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

>>The main reason that a Roman road was built was military transport, to allow the rapid movement of troops, and to transport the supplies to sustain them.<<
The main reason that a Roman road was built was for military transport: to allow the rapid movement of troops, and to transport the supplies to sustain them.
The main reason that a Roman road was built was for military transport: to allow the rapid movement of troops and to transport the supplies to sustain them. (i think it is this one)


>>When things quietened down the civilian use of the road began; <<
When things quietened down, the civilian use of the road began:


>>First by settlers who followed the army into newly pacified areas, the areas near the military basis often formed the first settlements. <<
First, by settlers, who followed the army into newly pacified areas. The areas near the military bases often formed the first settlements.


>>Next by the traders and farmers, goods could be moved quickly and safely and breakages were fewer. Food was could travel further and arrive in a fresh conditionand consumptin of luxury goods went up as a result of good road access.<<

Next, by the traders and farmers. Goods could be moved quickly and safely and breakages were fewer. Food could travel further and arrive in a fresh condition. And consumption of luxury goods also went up as a result of the good road access.


>>The Romans probably discovered how to build roads from, their pre-Roman ancestors a tribe called... <<
The Romans probably discovered how to build roads from their pre-Roman ancestors, a tribe called ...

(also... a footnote or link on 'Etruscans', h2g2ish or wikipedian, to Etruscans?)



k... thats a start on this one once i get some feedback from you, i will do the rest of it all together... unless you like just small amounts at a time i still am not sure about the colons i put in ...if they are considered okay and if i used them correctly.

i just found Strunk's Elements of Style, http://www.bartleby.com/141/ the definitive composition reference, and am still reading it.

Hi fluffykerfuffle

Not at all bad I have used the pointers. Thanks

cool very cool! ...onward! within 24 hours okay? on this and groma... then onward to the biggy...

>>within 24 hours okay?<<

oops...real life just got complicated... probably by tomorrow tho...

Ok good luck with real life

aaaaand... this is preliminarily done there are some spots i still dont like.

The 5 Stages Of Building A Roman Road

>>There are five main stages to the building of a standard Roman road<<
There are five main stages to the building of a standard Roman road:


>>Stage 1; Surveying the route, teams were sent out to plan the route of the proposed road and place markers for the building teams, this was often a job for the army engineers : with a groma to survey the route. <<
Stage 1 - Surveying the route. Teams were sent out to plan the route of the proposed road and place markers for the building teams. This was often a job for the army engineers who used a groma to survey the route.


>>Stage 2; Dig a foundation ditch, the average diamentions were, 1 meter deep and 2.5 meters wide.<<
Stage 2 - Digging a foundation ditch. The average dimensions were 1 meter deep and 2.5 meters wide.


>>Stage 3; Line the botton of the foundation ditch with a layer of lage stones, top this with a layer of rubble and ram it down to form a solid foundation and prevent subsidence. <<
Stage 3 - Lining the bottom of the foundation ditch with a layer of large stones, topping this with a layer of rubble, and then ramming it all down to form a solid foundation and prevent subsidence.


>>Stage 4; The next layer is not as course the smaller stones were easier to level and this layer was also compacted firmly. This layer was often topped with sand or consisted entirely of a mixture of sand and gravel.<<
Stage 4 - Layering with less coarse stones, which were easier to level, and compacting firmly. Then, topping with a layer of sand or a mixture of sand and gravel.


>>Stage 5; Lay kerbstones at the outer edges and then surfaced. A variety of surfacing materials was used stone slabs or heavy gravel being the most common. a stone surface was often given a surface of compacted gravel. All roads were given a cambered1 surface to shed rain water and aid drainage.<<

Stage 5 - Laying kerbstones at the outer edges and then surfacing the remaining inner surface. A variety of surfacing materials were used, stone slabs or heavy gravel being the most common. A stone surface was often given an additional surface of compacted gravel. All roads were given a cambered1 surface to shed rain water and aid drainage.
(i thought ALL roman roads had those famous paving stones... wow, live and learn!)



>>The final makeup of the road was determined by three factors<<
The final makeup of the road was determined by three factors: its intended use, the materials available locally and the terrain it was crossing.



Roads on soft or wet terrain
>>The terrain was an important factor on soft or boggy ground there could be no ditch as in stage 2, the road was supported on timber foundations: large baulks of timber were laid on the ground surface, and fixed into the ground. On top of these there were laid lengths of timber in pairs parallel to the road giving the appearance of railway sleepers and rails.<<

The terrain was an important factor on soft or boggy ground. Firstly, there could be no ditch, as in stage 2, and the road had to be supported on timber foundations. Large baulks of timber were laid on the ground surface and then fixed into the ground. (was this parallel to the direction of the road or perpendicular to it?) On top of these were laid lengths of timber in pairs parallel to the direction of the road, giving the appearance of railway sleepers and rails.



>>The second stage of this process was either; To pack the space between the timber rails with brushwood, laid down in bundles in two layers one parallel with the road and the other overlaid in the opposite direction. Or On wetter ground lay timber across the timber rails to form a continuous surface on which stone slabs or similar could be laid on top of which a surface could be laid as in stage 5. <<

The second stage of this process was either to pack the spaces between the timber rails with brushwood or, on even wetter ground, to lay timber across the timber rails. In the case of the brushwood packing, it was laid down in bundles in two layers perpendicular to each other. Or, if more timber was the process used, this formed a continuous surface on which stone slabs or similar materials could be then laid, as in stage 5.



>>The next layer was of course small stones that was levelled and this layer was compacted firmly. This layer was often topped with sand or consisted entirely of a mixture of sand and gravel. The surface layer was then laid the smaller course stones were easier to level, and this layer was also compacted firmly. This layer was often topped with sand or consisted entirely of a mixture of sand and gravel.<<

The final surface layer was of coarse small stones that were levelled and compacted firmly. This layer was often topped with sand or a mixture of sand and gravel.



>>After the construction of the road surface there were two things to do, a flat level area was cleared or made flat. This was called the agger (rampart or embankment) and was up to 15 meters wide. This was built from the spoil form the roads foundation ditch, and the drainage ditches dug each side of the agger. The cleared area also made it difficult to set an ambush for troops or travellers as the cleared area improved the view of the road ahead and travellers could see any potential dangers.<<

After the finishing of the road surface there were two final things to do, construct an agger, or rampart, on each side of the road, and then line them with ditches. A flat level area was cleared or made flat. This was called the agger (rampart or embankment) and was up to 15 meters wide. This was built from the spoil from the road's foundation ditch and from the drainage ditches dug each side of the agger. This cleared area made it difficult to set an ambush for troops or travellers as the cleared area improved the view of the road ahead and travellers could see any potential dangers.


Milestones

>>Starting with the Milliarium Aureum^ the milestone that was put in Rome on the orders of Augustus as the point from which all mileages to other parts of the empire were to be measured. All milestones on Roman roads gave the distance to Rome as well as local information, and were placed 1000 paces apart.<<

The Milliarium Aureum^ was the milestone that was placed in Rome, on the orders of Augustus, as the starting point from which all mileages to other parts of the empire were to be measured. All milestones on Roman roads gave the distance to Rome as well as local information, and were placed 1000 paces apart. (the quote "all roads lead to rome" ?...adding perhaps...hehe... "...and, evidently, away from it" ?)



Upkeep And Maintainance

>>Initially the cost of the road was borne by the state, after that it was the responsibility of the local government to raise the money to keep the road in good repair. ?An official called the Curatores Viarum was appointed and he had to raise the money to maintain the roads in his care. Roman roads were not free there were tolls colleted at the towns along the course of the road. The bridges were a particular source of revenue this explains the survival and continuous use of fords along the routes.<<

Initially, the cost of the road was borne by the state; after that it was the responsibility of the local government to raise the money to keep the road in good repair. An official called the Curatores Viarum was appointed who had to raise the money to maintain the roads in his care. Roman roads were not free. There were tolls collected at the towns along the course of the road. As a point of interest, the bridges were a particular source of revenue. This explains the survival and continuous use of fords along the routes.



Roman Roads In Britain

>>These are not the only roads built in Britain but are the best known, listed in order of length;<<
These are not the only roads built in Britain but are the best known, listed in order of length:

>>Watling Street Dover (Portus Dubris) to Brecon (Gaer - Y Gaer) <<
Watling Street - Dover (Portus Dubris) to Brecon (Gaer, Y Gaer) i googled this ...not sure... i am not English you need an English proofreader for this section!

Ermine Street - London (Londinium) to York (Eboracum) Fosse Way - Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) to Lincoln (Lindum Colonia)

>>Dere Street - York (Eboracum) to Chew Green at the eastern end of the Antonine wall.<<
Dere Street - York (Eboracum) to Chew Green at the eastern end of the Antonine wall

Akeman Street - London (Londinium) to Cirencester (Corinium Dobunnorum)
Stone Street - Brecon (Gaer - Y Gaer) to Caerleon (Iscia Silurum)
Stane Street - London (Londinium) to Chichester (Novinagus Regnorum)

1 Higher in the middle than at the edges.
2 The Golden Milestone.

Hi fluffykerfuffle

All done thank you

>>>i am not English<<< Where are you from if yu dont mind me asking

yay, you made sense of it all!
________________________________________tweaks:

>>>The terrain was an important factor on soft or boggy ground there could be no ditch as in stage 2, the road was supported on timber foundations: large baulks of timber were laid on the ground surface, and fixed into the ground. On top of these there were laid lengths of timber in pairs parallel to the direction of the road giving the appearance of railway sleepers and rails. The second stage of this process was either; The second stage of this process was either to pack the spaces between the timber rails with brushwood or, on even wetter ground, to lay timber across the timber rails. In the case of the brushwood packing, it was laid down in bundles in two layers perpendicular to each other.
Or,
On wetter ground if more timber was the process used, this formed a continuous surface on which stone slabs or similar materials could be then laid, as in stage 5.<<<

The terrain was an important factor on soft or boggy ground. Because there could be no ditch as in stage 2, the road was supported on timber foundations: large baulks of timber were laid on the ground surface, and fixed into the ground. On top of these there were laid lengths of timber in pairs parallel to the direction of the road giving the appearance of railway sleepers and rails.
The second stage of this process was either to pack the spaces between the timber rails with brushwood or, on even wetter ground, to lay timber across the timber rails.

>>In the case of the brushwood packing, it was laid down in bundles in two layers perpendicular to each other.
Or,
On wetter ground if more timber was the process used, this formed a continuous surface on which stone slabs or similar materials could be then laid, as in stage 5.<< ...this is still very awkward for me... and i dont like my 'was the process used'



The final surface layer was of coarse small stones that were levelled and compacted firmly. This layer was often topped with sand or a mixture of sand and gravel. The surface layer was then laid (semicolon here?) the smaller course stones were easier to level, and this layer was also compacted firmly. This layer was often topped with sand or consisted entirely of a mixture of sand and gravel.



>>>After the finishing of the road surface there were two final things to do, construct an agger, or rampart, on each side of the road, and then line them with ditches.<<<

After the finishing of the road surface there were two final things to do, construct an agger, or rampart, on each side of the road, and then line each one with ditches.



>>>Starting with the Milliarium Aureum2 was the milestone that was placed in Rome, on the orders of Augustus, as the starting point from which all mileages to other parts of the empire were to be measured. milestones on Roman roads gave the distance to Rome as well as local information, and were placed 1000 paces apart.
All roads lead to rome" "...and, evidently, away from it.<<<

The Milliarium Aureum2 was the milestone that was placed in Rome, on the orders of Augustus, as the starting point from which all mileages to other parts of the empire were to be measured. Milestones on Roman roads gave the distance to Rome as well as local information, and were placed 1000 paces apart.
"All roads lead to Rome" ...and, evidently, away from it.