Ask Me Everything'4

Ten Roman achievements

\J I ■ Aqueducts

Roman engineers built huge aqueducts to deliver fresh water to their cities. Like many Roman buildings, aqueducts were supported on raised stone arches.

Roads

The Roman Empire was connected by morę than 55,000 miles (88,500 km) of stone-paved roads. This huge network enabled the Roman Army to move quickly throughout the empire.

UW. Concrete

The Romans madę concrete from a mixture of burned chalk, volcanic sand, and crushed rocks. They also perfected a type of concrete that hardened in water, which was useful for building docks and harbors.

Central heating

Public baths and villas belonging to wealthy Romans were heated by underfloor heating Systems called hypocausts. An underground furnace sent hot air through the floors and up through spaces between the walls.

UW. Domes

The Romans were the first to create buildings with domed ceilings. The giant concrete dome of the Pantheon in Romę contains 140 hollow squares that help reduce its weight.

UU ■ Apartment blocks

Built to solve Rome’s housing shortage, apartment blocks were often six or seven stories high and lacked running water. Many were dangerously overcrowded.

U f ■ Roman law

The Romans didn't invent laws, but the uniform system of law that they imposed throughout their empire has been a major influence on all later Western legał Systems.

UU. Books

In the 2nd century ce, the Romans produced books with bound pages, called codices. These were much easier to read than long, rolled scrolls.

U9. Calendar

The calendar that we use today is based on the Roman calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 bce. Before Caesar, the Roman year was only 355 days long.

I U. Glass

Though not the first to use glass, the

i Romans developed glassblowing I techniques and I invented window L glass. One Roman I glassmaker is m even said to Al have come up I with a formula for M unbreakable glass!

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