ROMAN CONTRIBUTIONSMr. Mispagel’s Top Ten Roman Contributions

Drum roll please……………

10. ROADSThe Roman roads were essential for the growth of the Roman empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies. A proverb says that "all roads lead to Rome."

At its peak, the Roman road system spanned 52,819 miles.

9. LAWThe concept in a trial by jury was created by the Romans

The Romans realized theimportance of the “innocentuntil proven guilty” methodof justice.

Latin can be seen in the treatiesof International Law today.

The idea of Civil and CriminalLaw comes from the Roman era.

8. ARCHITECTUREInnovation started in the first century BC, with the invention of concrete, a strong and readily available substitute for stone. Tile-covered concrete quickly supplanted marble as the primary building material and more daring buildings soon followed, with great pillars supporting broad arches and domes rather than dense lines of columns suspending flat architraves.

COLUMNS

VAULTS

ARCHES

7. PLUMBINGThe Romans created sewers and bath houses that greatly led to more sanitary Conditions and improved the health of its citizens.

Plumbing Defined: While early pipe and conduit was made from wood or earthenware, later refinement to lead made skilled workers in lead indispensable. The Latin term "plumbus" means "lead," as was also the weight at the end of a line for perpendicular alignment. The plumber was a worker in lead who, in today's connotation, repairs or fits the apparatus of water distribution in and to a building.

The Roman Bath House inthe city of Bath, England

6. ALPHABET / LANGUAGEThe Roman alphabet and Latin language is the basis for most European languages. Latin is used today for scientific and medical Terminology. Spanish, French, Portuguese, Romanian, and Italian are all based on Latin. English and the other European (Germanic) languages have many Latin root words.

A B C D E F G …

Videre = to see … videoMillia = measure of 1,000 … millennium, millimeterPed = foot … pedestrian, pediatric Liber = book … library

5. BRIDGESThe Romans built bridges that could span long rivers. Many of these bridges are still standing today.

ALCANTARA BRIDGE, SPAIN

4. AQUEDUCTS

To carry water from the high ground to a village or townthe Romans were masters of building aqueducts that wouldtransport much needed water.

3. CONCRETE

By the development of concrete, the Romanswere able to change the way cities were builtand create a building material that was strongenough to house millions of people and builtlarge arenas for entertainment.

2. CALENDARSThe Romans first created a calendarTo record and keep track of time. IfNot for the Romans we wouldn’t beAble to have recorded history

Kalends were the 1st day of the month.

Nones were the 7th day of the monthIn March, May, July, and October and the5th day in the other months.

Ides was the 15th day in March, May,July, and October and the 13th day in otherMonths.

The use of sundialsTo tell time were Invented by the Romans along withThe idea of AM andPM

1. Fast Food(believe it or not)

Professor Stephen Dyson of the University of Buffalo says that "We've also found numerous fast food restaurants in Pompeii and other parts of ancient Rome, " calling these places a cross between "...Burger King and a British pub or a Spanish tapas bar.

…Most Romans lived in apartments or rather confined spaces, and there is not much evidence for stoves and other cooking equipment in them,"

he says, adding that "Italy's vibrant street and bar scenes today, along with the often multipurpose design of homes with bedsteads stacked in a corner, or kitchenettes in surprising places, reflect the wonderful, slightly chaotic, aspects of early Roman life.”

http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/naples/romanfastfood.htm