Concrete was a major contribution to the growth of the Roman civilization. Without it, the Roman architecture that is still seen today, like the Coliseum or the pantheon, would not still be standing. The idea of concrete first came from the Etruscans, but with Roman ingenuity they perfected the mixture and made it revolutionary. Concrete was used largely in the Roman Empire and greatly improved the architecture. It was sturdy, flexible, and was easy to use which made it a staple in Roman Civilization.
The Romans were not the first to use concrete, but they added a new ingredient that made it stronger and kept it from crumbling over time. The concrete used in ancient Rome was a mixture of rubble, lime, sand, and volcanic ash which is also known …show more content…
Perhaps the most well-known building made with concrete is the Colosseum. Many amphitheaters were built in sides of hills to provide support, but the Colosseum could support itself because of concrete. It was three stories tall and was a very large stadium where the Roman public could enjoy gladiatorial games. Another great building made of concrete is the Pantheon. In order to construct the dome ceiling, the Romans had to use light rocks as they got higher. At the bottom, they used large basalt rocks to make the structure heavy and strong, then they added smaller pieces of stone as they got higher. With each level, the rocks got lighter, and at the highest point they used pumice. Cement was also used I the construction of roads, bridges and aqueducts. Rome had about 50,000 miles of roads throughout the empire and almost a dozen aqueducts providing water to the people.
The innovation of concrete brought a lot of success to the Roman Empire. Concrete was sturdy, fire resistant, cheap for the Romans to produce, and aided the construction of many great architectural works in the Roman Empire. Its innovation highly benefited the empire and created a new way of building that was revolutionary. With concrete, Romans could build in the water, on land, and in magnificent
The Romans were not the first to use concrete, but they added a new ingredient that made it stronger and kept it from crumbling over time. The concrete used in ancient Rome was a mixture of rubble, lime, sand, and volcanic ash which is also known …show more content…
Perhaps the most well-known building made with concrete is the Colosseum. Many amphitheaters were built in sides of hills to provide support, but the Colosseum could support itself because of concrete. It was three stories tall and was a very large stadium where the Roman public could enjoy gladiatorial games. Another great building made of concrete is the Pantheon. In order to construct the dome ceiling, the Romans had to use light rocks as they got higher. At the bottom, they used large basalt rocks to make the structure heavy and strong, then they added smaller pieces of stone as they got higher. With each level, the rocks got lighter, and at the highest point they used pumice. Cement was also used I the construction of roads, bridges and aqueducts. Rome had about 50,000 miles of roads throughout the empire and almost a dozen aqueducts providing water to the people.
The innovation of concrete brought a lot of success to the Roman Empire. Concrete was sturdy, fire resistant, cheap for the Romans to produce, and aided the construction of many great architectural works in the Roman Empire. Its innovation highly benefited the empire and created a new way of building that was revolutionary. With concrete, Romans could build in the water, on land, and in magnificent