Roman bridge
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[[Image:Bridge Alcantara.JPG|thumb|The [[Alcántara Bridge]], a masterpiece of ancient bridge bulding]]
[[Image:PuenteromanoriveraTrebejana.JPG|thumb|Puente de Segura, early 2nd century]]
[[Image:El puente romano y la alcazaba.jpg|thumb|Roman bridge and Moorish [[alcazaba]] at [[Mérida, Spain]]]]
:''For a list of all known Roman bridges, see [[List of Roman bridges]]''
:''For the railway station in [[Wales]], see [[Roman Bridge railway station]]''
'''Roman bridges''', built by [[Ancient Rome|ancient Romans]], were the first large and lasting bridges built.
Roman bridges were built with stone and had the [[arch]] as its basic structure. Most utilized concrete as well.
Built in [[142 BC]], the [[Pons Aemilius]], later named ''Ponte Rotto'' (broken bridge) is the oldest Roman stone bridge in Rome, Italy.
The biggest 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 both in terms of overall and span length. They were most of the time at-least 60 ft above the body of water.
The longest Roman stone arch was probably [[Severan Bridge]] of 34 m, but there are [[Puente del Diablo (Martorell)|indications]] of longer arches.
An example of temporary military bridge construction are the two [[Caesar's Rhine bridges]].
==Usual characteristics of Roman Bridges==
* Many are more than 5 meters wide
* Most of them slope slightly
* Many have [[Rustication_%28architecture%29|rustic work]]
* The stonework has alternating stretcher and header courses ; i.e. one layer of rectangular stones is laid lengthwise, and the next layer has the ends facing outwards
* Stones linked with dovetail joints or metal bars
* Indents in the stones for gripping tools to hold onto
(Source [http://traianus.rediris.es/ Traianus] - An endeavour to identify Roman Bridges built in former [[Hispania]])
== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Trier-Römerbrücke.01.jpg|[[Römerbrücke (Trier)|Römerbrücke]] in Trier, Germany
Image:Guadalquivir Mezquita.JPG|Puente Romano in [[Cordoba]], Spain
Image:The Pont Julien (Julian bridge) France, view from west, by Rosier.jpg|[[Pont Julien]] in Apt, France
Image:Pont Vaison la Romaine.jpg|The [[Roman Bridge (Vaison-la-Romaine)|Roman Bridge in Vaison-la-Romaine]], France
Image:Engelsbruecke.jpg|[[Ponte Sant'Angelo]] in Rome, Italy
Image:Ponte Milvio-side view-antmoose.jpg|[[Ponte Milvio]] in Rome, Italy
Image:Pons Fabricius.jpg|[[Pons Fabricius]] in Rome, Italy
Image:Ponte Pietra a Verona.jpg|[[Ponte di Pietra]] in Verona, Italy
Image:Ponte Di Badia Vulci.jpg|Ponte dell'Abbadia, Italy
Image:Pont-Saint-Martin-Ponte-DSCF8380.JPG|[[Pont-Saint-Martin Bridge]], Italy
Image:Bridge near Limyra. Pic 02.jpg|Segmental arch [[Bridge near Limyra|Bridge near Limyra]], Turkey
Image:SeveranBridge.jpg|[[Severan Bridge]], Turkey
</gallery>
== See also ==
*[[List of Roman bridges]]
*[[Bridges in Rome|Bridges in city of Rome]]
*[[Roman architecture]]
*[[Roman engineering]]
*[[Roman technology]]
== References ==
* Piero Gazzola, "Ponti romani. Contributo ad un indice sistematico con studio critico bibliografico", Vol. Ponti romani 2, Florence 1963
* Colin O'Connor, "Roman Bridges", Cambridge Univ. Press (1994) ISBN 0-521-39326-4
== External links ==
{{Commons|Category:Ancient Roman bridges|Roman bridges}}
* [http://traianus.rediris.es/ Traianus] - Technical investigation of Roman public works
* [http://www.iath.virginia.edu/rome/Journal2TaylorNew.pdf The Waters of Rome: Tiber River Bridges and the Development of the Ancient City of Rome]
* [http://www.livius.org/pn-po/pontes_longi/pontes_longi.html Livius.org: Pontes longi] - Roman bog bridges
[[Category:Ancient Roman architecture]]
[[Category:Roman bridges| ]]
{{Ancient Tiber Bridges}}
{{Ancient-Rome-stub}}
[[de: Kategorie:Römische_Brücke]]