Roman Engineering

From upon the Stoa this day, I simply wish to ponder man in two different Eras.

Over two thousand years ago, the Romans dominated the world through road and bridge building as much as they did their armies. If needed, messages could travel from Britannia to the military outposts in Iraq in a matter of weeks. There was even a military newspaper that the Roman equivalent of the Pentagon put out. This allowed Roman citizens and soldiers to keep up on Imperial events.

In the beginning, the roads were created in the Republic by the wealthy in the various districts. It was considered an honor and a duty to create these roads. Merchants and traders would then come through the town with money that can be spent and taxed.

Once built, the roads were maintained by the rich and prosperous, and even expanded upon. During the Empire, the roads were funded through taxation and were always kept in perfect condition for the use of the Army and the State.

It was through those roads that peace was maintained and merchants kept safe.

In the end, though, it was also those roads that allowed enemies quick access to the interior of the Empire when the army was no longer sufficient to keep them away.

Two thousand years later, one can still walk those old, Roman roads. In some cases, their bridges still support road traffic to this day. In some very old Italian cities, Roman bridges and roads have even survived earthquakes and floods.

This brings me to my musing of the day. If the Romans could build a road to last two hundred centuries, why can we not build a road, with all of our technology, that can last more than a few years.

The Romans had ice and summers and the freeze thaw cycle, yet their roads are still serviceable.

Here, in 2012, with probes on other planets and and probes traveling between the stars, we are unable to build roads that surpass the technology of two hundred centuries ago.

Think on why that may be. We'll ponder this again later.

--Live well.

Zavost