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The Romans were master builders. They invented the dome and greatly expanded the use of the arch. They also invented concrete, a mixture of broken stones, lime, sand, volcanic ash, and water.
Roman emperors erected elaborate temples, enormous stadiums, and other magnificent public buildings to remind the Roman people of their wealth and power. Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, boasted, “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.” The work of Rome’s builders still stands today in parts of its once great empire—a glorious legacy to their building genius.
Tour the Pantheon
ARCH
DOME
▲ Although other peoples had used the arch before the Romans, daring Roman builders raised the roof with it. With the arch, they could build higher and more rounded ceilings. Heavy columns were no longer needed as roof supports. Bridges could span greater distances. A dome, which is arches crossed over each other, creates a rounded ceiling.
▲ Roman emperors liked to mark their conquests with giant arches. After the Emperor Titus died, this arch was built in Rome to commemorate his capture of Jerusalem.
▲ The Romans built the highways of the ancient world. They made their roads with a center hump to allow water to drain into ditches. These roads helped the empire grow.
Once water from distant mountain streams reached Roman towns via the aqueducts, complex systems of underground pumps and pipes directed it to public fountains, baths, and toilets. ▶
