Overview

The engineers of ancient Rome designed and constructed many projects to serve the needs of an urban and an imperial nation. With their use of the semicircular arch, the barrel vault, and hydraulic cement, they transformed architecture and construction in the ancient world. The results were impressive in scale and practicality and influential in their shaping of a timeless architectural style.

Background

Roman civil engineers and architects created a series of structures intended to address the multifarious needs of Roman society. From the religious to the secular, from the recreational to the utilitarian, and from the military to the domestic, they engaged in a wide range of projects. Perfecting techniques inherited from earlier cultures such as Egypt and Greece, they added their own special contributions that came to mark a structure or design...