Technology

 Technology By Will R.

Roman Technology was a big reason why Rome was so powerful. The Romans worked very hard to develop technology. Some of today’s inventions are based on objects that the Romans invented a very long time ago. They managed to keep making new inventions, even when Rome was in decline. 

The biggest example of technology in Rome is the Coliseum. It was built by slaves in 80 A.D. for gladiator fights and naval battles. The Coliseum was made of brick and concrete, which the Romans invented. The first three stories of the Coliseum had elegant arches. The fourth one was built later and was less decorated. Senators, consuls, politicians, and the emperor sat in the first row. The second row was for the rich and wealthy. The upper levels were for the poor, women, and slaves.

Another example of technology in Rome was the Pantheon, a temple to all gods. The Pantheon was in the center of Rome and it was made of brick and concrete, just like the Coliseum. The portico, a covered entrance, was supported by eight massive columns which were made with pozzalanna mixed with concrete. Pozalanna was volcanic dust.

Aqueducts were channels that were used to carry water throughout Rome. They were made out of brick and pozzalanna. Aqueducts could bring water in pipes from distant sources so people didn’t always have to live next to rivers. Some aqueducts still stand today because of the strong work that was put into the building of them.

The arch was also very important in Rome. Many buildings used arches. The arch was invented by Egyptians and Greeks. The Etruscans, early Roman rulers, used the arch shape to hold up the aqueducts that went through Rome. They found that the arch was a lot stronger than a straighter support. A series of arches can support domes and many other large weights. Later, the Romans added pozzalanna to mix with the concrete, which made the arches a lot stronger. Public baths were another invention that was very important to Rome. Every town had its own bath. The water in the baths came from the aqueducts. Later in Rome, the baths developed into social centers. People could take baths, talk with their friends, play games, and just relax. Baths were eventually built in Bath, England. That area had minerals that could restore one’s health. Another very important example of technology in Rome was the highway systems. They were constructed of sand, gravel, cement, and stone. Local slaves and soldiers built them. The roads had markers called milestones, which marked every mile. Roads were used for armies, government travelers, guests, and the people. The world’s first major highway was called Via Apia. There were travel centers on Via Apia that provided maps of the highway. The world’s first military highway, Appian Way, was named after Via Apia. It stretched from Rome to Capua. It now goes from Rome all the way to the Adriatic Sea. Romans liked to make art such as sculptures, paintings, and Mosaics. Sculptors borrowed ideas from native Indians. They illustrated large carvings on big monuments. They carved pictures on arches to celebrate the emperor. The houses of the wealthy were filled with paintings. They also covered the houses with mosaics made from colored glass and stone to make the house look bigger. These are examples of how technology and Roman art came together. Although the Roman Empire no longer exists, technology helped it last for almost exactly one thousand years. Romans gave us ideas about technology that we still use today. This proves that ancient technology is very useful.