11.1 The Roman Empire

1. 11.1 The Roman Empire

2. Rome’s Practical Achievements • Roman Roads • “All roads lead to Rome.” • Roman roads fanned out from Rome like spokes on a wheel • Built to help troops get where they are going faster • The Roman army had engineers, architects, surveyors traveling with them • Soldiers worked on the roads when not fighting • The roads also helped speed up information • Helped increase trade and food supplies

3. Rome’s Practical Achievements • Architecture • Concrete, the “miracle” building material • Mixture of volcanic ash, rocks, sand, limestone, clay and water • Easily moldable • Lighter than stone • Allowed to build bigger and newer types of structures • Army engineers also used it to build bridges with the help of the arch

4. Rome’s Practical Achievements • Aqueducts and Water • Water supply is vital to any city (Rome had 1 mil. People) • To get clean water to the city the Romans built miles of aqueducts • Combined the concrete and arches when not going underground • The water flowed to: • public fountains • Private homes for a fee • Public baths