Roman technology and infrastructure allowed their empire to thrive for over 200 years. During this Pax Romana period, they built extensive road and aqueduct systems that improved travel and access to water. Their architectural innovations like the Pantheon's dome and amphitheaters like the Colosseum were engineering feats that were not matched for centuries. Roman cities had indoor plumbing, sewers, and public baths that kept urban areas hygienic by ancient standards. This infrastructure network integrated the empire and supported large urban populations away from natural water sources.

1. Roman Technology
Why was the pax romana
considered a golden age?

2. The pax romana – or roman peace
began with the reign of augustus caesar
and lasted for 200 years.
During this time, the Romans made great
strides in technology and
infrastructure.
Roman technology can be found today
from north Africa to England.

4. Roman Architecture
The Pantheon is a circular building with a great concrete dome
rising from the walls and with a front porch of Corinthian
columns supporting a gabled roof with a triangular pediment.
The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, its construction, and
its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times,
measuring about 142 feet in diameter and rising to a height of
71 feet above its base. There is no external evidence of brick
arch support inside the dome, except in the lowest part, and
the exact method of construction has never been determined.
The Coliseum (Coloseum, Colosseum), was built during
the reign of Emperor Vespasiano c. 72 AD Over 160 ft
high with eighty entrances, the Coliseum could hold
upwards of 50,000 spectators. Public events such as
gladiator fights, mock naval battles and wild animal hunts
were held at the Coliseum. During the staged fights as
many as 10,000 people were killed. Fighters were slaves,
prisoners or volunteers. Spectators saw persecuted
Christians killed by lions.

5. The dome

6. The dome meant
bigger buildings
could be built
which were safer
and did not need
thick walls or
large numbers of
pillars to support
the ceiling.
This piece of
technology will be
lost to medieval
Europeans.

11. Inside the pantheon
in Rome.

15. Colosseums

16. Colosseum in nimes in France

17. Roman Colosseum in Croatia

20. Under the floor were cages and cells for animals
gladiators and Christians.

21. Roman Roads
The Romans builT many Roads ThRoughouT TheiR empiRe. The Roads
made iT easieR To TRavel and TRade wiTh faRaway pRovinces. iT also
made iT easieR To collecT Taxes. Roman Roads weRe sTRaighT and
followed an exacT design. The expRession, “all Roads lead To Rome”
RefeRs To The facT ThaT Rome was The cenTeR of modeRn civilizaTion.
The Road sysTem
of The ancienT
Romans was one of
The gReaTesT
engineeRing
accomplishmenTs
of iTs Time, wiTh
oveR 50,000 miles
of paved Road
RadiaTing fRom
TheiR cenTeR aT
The miliaRius
auRem in The
foRum in The ciTy
of Rome.

22. Roman roads

23. Paved Roads
• The roads were not completely flat
• They consisted of several parts
– The central and highest was the most important, it
was convex to conduct the water to the
– Ditches that were built in the sides

26. Roman Aqueducts
The Romans consTRucTed numeRous aqueducTs To supply waTeR To ciTies
and indusTRial siTes. The ciTy of Rome iTself had The laRgesT
concenTRaTion, wiTh waTeR being supplied by eleven aqueducTs
consTRucTed oveR a peRiod of 500 yeaRs. TheiR combined lengTh was
neaRly 260 miles. howeveR, only 29 miles weRe above gRound, as mosT
Roman aqueducTs weRe consTRucTed below The suRface.
sTone "pipes" ThaT caRRied
waTeR fRom ouTlying
aReas To laRge ciTies. why
weRe They so Tall and
TilTed? They had To caRRy
RainwaTeR and waTeR fRom
higheR alTiTudes
downwaRd To ReseRvoiRs in
laRge ciTies. The picTuRes
ThaT we noRmally see aRe
of aqueducTs above
gRound, buT mosT of Them
weRe undeRgRound.
They also builT public laTRines and sysTems of sewage pipes To
caRRy sewage ouT of The sTReeTs and dump iT inTo The RiveR.

27. Water technology
The civilizations we have looked at so far, have
all been located near rivers. Needless to say,
your largest cities and towns were located
on the waterfront.
The Romans developed sophisticated
technology to move water over great
distances. For the first time in human history
people were able to live in large numbers far
away from natural water sources.

28. Aqueducts
• Aqueducts were built in order to avoid geographic
irregularities between fountains or rivers and towns.
• Not only valleys were crossed by superposed
cannels, but also mountains were excavated by long
tunnels, pits and levels of maintenance.
• They were used to bring water to cities.

29. aqueducts

32. Model of Rome's main aqueducts

35. Civil Buildings: Baths
• There were spaces for
public life
• They consisted of
different rooms:
• Changing rooms
– Different temperature
rooms:
• Frigidarium (cold)
• Tepidarium (warm)
• Caldarium (hot)
– Swimming pool
– Gymnasium
– Library

36. Roman baths (England)

37. Roman baths were built all over the
empire.
The city of bath in England is so
named because it had a large roman
bath there.
The Turkish baths are the direct
descendents of the Roman baths.
The upper classes would meet there
in the afternoon to swim, relax, get a
massage and conduct business.

39. Notice the channels under the floors used to
heat the bath water.

40. Plumbing and sewer systems
• Roman cities has indoor plumbing and
sewer systems.
•This allowed the Roman cities to stay
very clean by ancient standards and
certainly much cleaner than medieval
cities in Western Europe.
• People had access to fresh water for
drinking and cooking and…

41. Most important of all, flushing toilets!!

42. These were public toilets
and the water
continually flowed
underneath.
The wealthy had toilets
you could flush by lifting
a piece of wood that
blocked the sluice.

43. Hypothetical reconstruction of Roman Forum in Imperial times.
Watercolor (18th century), Giuseppe Becchetti