Editing Roman Empire (section)

==Architecture and engineering==
{{Main|Ancient Roman architecture|Roman engineering|Roman technology}}
[[File:Colosseum in Rome, Italy - April 2007.jpg|thumb|The Flavian Amphitheatre, more commonly known as the [[Colosseum]]]]
The chief [[Ancient Roman architecture|Roman contributions to architecture]] were the [[arch]], [[Vault (architecture)|vault]], and [[dome]]. Some Roman structures still stand today, due in part to sophisticated methods of making cements and [[Roman concrete|concrete]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=MacDonald |first=William L. |title=The Architecture of the Roman Empire |date=1982 |publisher=Yale University Press |at=fig. 131B |author-link=William L. MacDonald}}; {{Cite journal |last1=Lechtman |first1=H. N. |last2=Hobbs |first2=L. W. |date=1987 |title=Roman Concrete and the Roman Architectural Revolution |journal=Ceramics and Civilization |volume=3 |pages=81–128}}</ref> [[Roman temple]]s developed [[Etruscan architecture|Etruscan]] and Greek forms, with some distinctive elements. [[Roman roads]] are considered the most advanced built until the early 19th century.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

[[Roman bridges]] were among the first large and lasting bridges, built from stone (and in most cases concrete) with the arch as the basic structure. The largest Roman bridge was [[Trajan's bridge]] over the lower Danube, constructed by [[Apollodorus of Damascus]], which remained for over a millennium the longest bridge to have been built.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9008022/Apollodorus-Of-Damascus |title=Apollodorus of Damascus |website=Britannica |date=13 February 2024 |access-date=26 August 2012 |archive-date=21 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521213321/http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9008022/Apollodorus-Of-Damascus |url-status=live}}; {{Cite journal |last=Sarton |first=George |date=1936 |title=The Unity and Diversity of the Mediterranean World |journal=Osiris |volume=2 |doi=10.1086/368462 |pages=406–463 (430) |s2cid=143379839}}; {{Cite book |last1=Calcani |first1=Giuliana |title=Apollodorus of Damascus and Trajan's Column: From Tradition to Project |last2=Abdulkarim |first2=Maamoun |date=2003 |publisher=L'Erma di Bretschneider |isbn=978-8-8826-5233-3 |page=11}}; {{Cite book |last1=Yan |first1=Hong-Sen |title=International Symposium on History of Machines and Mechanisms: Proceedings of HMM 2008 |last2=Ceccarelli |first2=Marco |date=2009 |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] |isbn=978-1-4020-9484-2 |page=86}}</ref> The Romans built many [[List of Roman dams and reservoirs|dams and reservoirs]] for water collection, such as the [[Subiaco Dams]], two of which fed the [[Anio Novus]], one of the largest aqueducts of Rome.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Norman |date=1970 |title=The Roman Dams of Subiaco |journal=Technology and Culture |volume=11 |issue=1 |doi=10.2307/3102810 |pages=58–68 |jstor=3102810 |s2cid=111915102}}; {{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Norman |title=A History of Dams |date=1971 |publisher=Peter Davies |isbn=978-0-4321-5090-0 |page=26}}; {{Cite journal |last=Schnitter |first=Niklaus |date=1978 |title=Römische Talsperren |journal=Antike Welt |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=25–32 (28)}}</ref>

[[File:Pont du Gard BLS.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The [[Pont du Gard]] aqueduct, which crosses the river [[Gardon]] in southern France, is on [[UNESCO]]'s list of [[World Heritage Site]]s.]]
The Romans constructed numerous [[Roman aqueduct|aqueducts]]. ''[[De aquaeductu]]'', a treatise by [[Frontinus]], who served as [[Curator Aquarum|water commissioner]], reflects the administrative importance placed on the water supply. Masonry channels carried water along a precise [[grade (slope)|gradient]], using [[gravity]] alone. It was then collected in tanks and fed through pipes to public fountains, baths, [[Sanitation in ancient Rome|toilets]], or industrial sites.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chandler |first=Fiona |title=The Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of the Roman World |date=2001 |publisher=Usborne Publishing |page=80}}</ref> The main aqueducts in Rome were the [[Aqua Claudia]] and the [[Aqua Marcia]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Forman |first=Joan |title=The Romans |date=1975 |publisher=Macdonald Educational |page=34}}</ref> The complex system built to supply Constantinople had its most distant supply drawn from over 120&nbsp;km away along a route of more than 336&nbsp;km.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Crow |first=J. |chapter=Earth, walls and water in Late Antique Constantinople |date=2007 |title=Technology in Transition AD 300–650 |publisher=Brill |editor-last=Lavan |editor-first=L. |editor-last2=Zanini |editor-first2=E. |editor-last3=Sarantis |editor-first3=A.}}</ref> Roman aqueducts were built to remarkably fine [[Engineering tolerance|tolerance]], and to a technological standard not equalled until modern times.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Greene |first=Kevin |title=The Archaeology of the Roman Economy |date=1990 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-5200-7401-9 |page=39}}</ref> The Romans also used aqueducts in their extensive mining operations across the empire.{{Sfnp|Jones|Bird|2012|pp=59–74}}

[[Insulated glazing]] (or "double glazing") was used in the construction of [[thermae|public baths]]. Elite housing in cooler climates might have [[hypocaust]]s, a form of central heating. The Romans were the first culture to assemble all essential components of the much later [[steam engine]]: the crank and connecting rod system, [[Hero of Alexandria|Hero]]'s [[aeolipile]] (generating steam power), the [[Pneumatic cylinder|cylinder]] and [[piston]] (in metal force pumps), non-return [[valves]] (in water pumps), and [[Gear train|gearing]] (in water mills and clocks).<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ritti |first1=Tullia |last2=Grewe |first2=Klaus |last3=Kessener |first3=Paul |date=2007 |title=A Relief of a Water-powered Stone Saw Mill on a Sarcophagus at Hierapolis and its Implications |journal=Journal of Roman Archaeology |volume=20 |doi=10.1017/S1047759400005341 |pages=138–163 (156, fn. 74) |s2cid=161937987}}</ref>