It would be nice to build a road that will not collapse, will not crack and is covered with holes within 5 years of operation. Better yet 10 years old. On his way to a century, or even centuries can only dream about. And what about the road, which will last two thousand years? Do you think this is impossible. But the Romans were able to actually do something like this. We know it all "dirty" secrets of the ancient road construction.
The first road is a military objective. | Photo: welemudr.mirtesen.ru.
Now it is difficult to believe, but one and a half thousand years ago could easily travel in comfort throughout the Mediterranean on paved roads. For seven centuries of its history, the Romans extended a paved roads with total length of nearly two Earth's equator. High-quality road network was one of the greatest achievements of civilization. Surprisingly, the web of modern European highway quite strongly coincides with the ancient web of Roman roads.
Interesting fact: Harbor no illusions about the "secrets of the ancestors" is not worth it. As today's roads, highways Roman had regularly repaired. This is evidenced by financial documents of the Romans, have survived. Of course, the Roman construction technology really has largely advanced. And they did not have multi-ton trucks, rushing at a speed of 100 km / h under the falling sleet!
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Of course, Rome was not only paved roads. Also present were ground and dirt roads covered with gravel. However, it was paved were a symbol of power of the state. The first was considered an important strategic road construction, as it became possible thanks to the most rapid deployment of troops on foot. Intensive march infantry columns at a speed of 4-5 km / h is possible only on good road with a flat surface. It is for this reason, at all times, Roman roads were built mainly legionaries.
Note: In fact, the construction of roads in the province where the legion was stationed, was considered the norm soldier routine. Legionnaires performed ground and civil works at an astonishing rate. Local to the construction of important engineering construction is almost not allowed. The Romans were afraid of sabotage on an important subject.
How were built
As we built the Roman road? Sufficiently detailed description of technology told us the Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, a distinguished Roman architect and engineer who lived in the 1st century AD. Thus, any construction began with poryvaniya via a route along two parallel ditches, the distance between them was from 2.5 to 4.5 meters. This was done to mark the work area, as well as to get information about the local soil data. After that, between the ditches cleaned the whole ground, resulting in something like a moat. As a rule, the Romans tried to get to the hard soil or rock (depth of about 1.5 meters).
Interesting factRome was a big country with a burgeoning bureaucratic apparatus and developed legal system. To have survived mention of the fact that the construction of roads has been inextricably linked with the real hard corruption. It is clear that stealing in the construction of the highway already.
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The road was built on the principle of layered cake. First layer fit «statumen» (support) with a thickness of 20-50 cm, which consisted of large rough stones. The next layer «rudus» (gravel) of 20 cm in thickness laid out in fine broken stones. He was fastened binder solution - the Roman concrete formulation which could quite strongly vary depending on location and access to resources. The third layer called «nucleus» (core) and had a thickness of 15 cm and consisted of small fragments of bricks. This layer could be used as a road surface, but most of the Romans still preferred to put a fourth layer - «pavimentum» (bridge). He laid out from large boulders.
Interesting fact: Roman roads were built slightly convex. This was done to them with dripping rainwater.
Construction of roads took place in a constant battle with the terrain. Sometimes the road was raised on the mound. Sometimes, they cut through the rocks and hills. A couple of thousand people with picks and shovels can work wonders. The hardest Romans were crossing the marshes. However, and here it was their engineering tricks. We overcame the lowlands and swamps using embankments and installation of wooden piles. Very often, in places parallel to the road and broke even drains.
Interesting fact: Roman did not have a shovel cutting edge, moreover, they were made of wood. Completely. Shovel used only to discard the ground or loading it onto a stretcher. Loose soil using choppers.
War - the father of all
As already mentioned, the Roman road in the first place was an important military engineering construction. However, they have a beneficial effect on the economy. First of all roads have contributed to migration, the development of the postal service and of course trade. Speaking of mail. Already in Roman times along the roads created inns for travelers, as well as special postal stations where the messengers could change horses.
Interesting fact: Quite funny that despite all levels of development, and the Romans did not think up the usual modern man maps. In ancient Rome did not have any hand-drawn maps. Then "map" was considered a special book containing the verbal description as from Rome to get somewhere. For ease of travel, the Romans also installed special columns travel along its roads. The Roman Forum was a "gold" milestone Empire - «miliarium aurem».
However, the Roman Empire collapsed. Roads built by the "sons of Mars", have become one of the gifts of the world civilization. Roman roads have also been used for centuries for trade and war.
I would like to learn more interesting things about the movement on the roads? Then it is necessary to read about 5 foreign traffic rules that are puzzling the majority of compatriots in the face with them for the first time.
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A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/070719/50947/