@@limehawk4989 ToldInStone and I are in a coffee shop having a good laugh about your comment right now. He says you're a silly goose, and would never survive in the gladiatorial games.
Nails are expensive and can be stolen, much as the copper wire in our modern street lights is targeted by metal thieves. Unless you wanted to assign a guard to watch the structure making them metal free removes that problem. Metal was used in various structures and buildings to lock together stones and lead was sometimes used between stones in bridge abutments to spread the pressure between blocks, as mentioned in Ancient Engineers by Decamp. My two cents worth.
Once as hobby blacksmith, I made three dozen nail, I use 5mm round rod as raw material. It still was quite a task, heating and hammering them. Sharp point and head, two heat was required.
We went out of our way to look at a small Roman bridge in north wales last summer. Very small but still impressive to see it standing after all this time
A fun fact that speaks to its historical importance, the name "Alcántara Bridge" is tautological. The name of the town of Alcántara dates from when Spain was under Arab rule, and means "the bridge" in Arabic.
Great vídeo, Thank you. Here in Portugal there are several Roman Bridges still standing tall. Julius Ceaser was twice in this area, writing about the campaigns. 2.000 years and a zillion people and their life stories envolving us. Time stands still! However, most of the roads leading to those bridges have been replaced by modern highways. Accordingly, the old Roman structures are seldom used -- although a handfull of them, connecting small villages, are still regularly used. Going there at night is a magic adventure...
It's interesting how organization and manpower can be as important as technology. Bridges like these being built without modern engine powered cranes or vehicles to move the materials is more impressive in their own way.
I agree. There are many civilizations with access to advanced technology that didn't use them because of a lack of organization or/and manpower. Think of all the massive space superstructures that we have the technology to build, but can't because modern states need to spend their resources warring against each other.
It took less than a month of working for a dysfunctional engineering company for me to figure that out. Doesn't matter how bright they are - you need some structure, some management to bring it all together, and yes you do need people do do things on time (or simply large things).
@@michaeladu6120 Probably the dumbest and most ignorant comment that will appear under this video. Try to finish high school before being stupid in public again.
I never thought of the possibility of a Roman bridge carrying a freight train. It is quite a fascinating question, and a good "hook" for this overview of Roman bridges. Thanks for the video :)
Fascinating thanks. I have visited the Pont du Gard aqueduct in southern France, which is a magnificent piece of Roman engineering, and walked through the covered water channel at the top.
Apart from the impressive engineering, watching this it becomes clear that the Romans were also well aware that it was best to build a large single span bridge in the higher elevations, than several smaller ones. Rivers in the hills or mountains are something entirely different than those in flat floodplains. The former are best avoided completely, and if a bridge is built over them you better build it high enough to stay clear of sudden influxes of water. 3:52 That bridge ticks all those boxes. Interesting stuff!
See that many of the old railway bridges from the steam train time has been upgrades while keeping the old stone foundations as modern trains is far heavier and faster.
Where I live in the English Lake District, two road bridges built in the '60s have recently been condemned for structural failures, causing misery for the local community. Yet the Romans built bridges that are still going strong after 2000 years....
Spanish-speaking lady here. The rules to write the accent marks in Spanish are a bit tricky, but they are quite simple when reading: if there is an accent mark, you accentuate *that* syllable, not another one. Therefore, "Alcántara" is read "ahl-CAHN-tah-rah." No other options, no regional variations. Thanks.
Thanks. This is confusing in this case, not so much by the accent, but by the synthetic suede leather-like material used in many car interiors. This is called alcantara, after the Italian company of the same name, and is commonly used in English with the the TA syllable accentuated. The Italian pronunciation may be different. Like many words starting with "al", this is of Arabic origin, and simply means "the bridge". So that checks out, at least. 🙂
I'll never get over how long some thins are in operation for. Such as the longest operational lapis lazuli mine in the world out in Afghanistan. 3k Years and going.
@@MiaHerssens I first learned about it in a documentary series called In the Footsteps of Alexander. It isn't some big mine like you might be thinking. it has been getting mined the same way for millennia.
In France several roman bridges resisted to huhe floods weither more ecent bridges were destroyed. One observe the same with Vauban's dams which were not affected in Ile de Ré, several years ago, though recent dams were destroyed. Maybe it could be considered as a proof that the short term profit is very expensive.
Way overbuilding was the best thing to do really. Any idiot can build a bridge that stands up, but it takes an engineer to build a bridge that barely stands up.
And a REALLY cluey one to build a bridge that comes in well under budget, enabling him to grab the bonus and scarper to a tax haven with no extradition treaty a few days before its programmed obsolescence comes into play! 🙄😉😊
I live in northern Italy near the pont st Martin. pretty funny seeing cars drive over it. It's used to reach a few houses. And I found a paved Roman road still in use in Tuscany.
Besides excelent content of this chanel "Told in stone" is one of the best name of youtube chanel in my opinion . Both poetic and factual at the same time .
Oh the train lines here in KY are Egyptian. For sure 👍 Not the passenger ones, but freight. No one in the 1800s was building train tunnels in the Appalachian/Smokey Mountains.
so if we want to build something as solid and lasting, we just need to: use the best material available build using the best construction methods pay whatever it costs (instead of trying to extract the maximum profit)
Railroad bridges are built for an order of magnitude more weight. I suspect the figures given here are for the total maximum safe weight, so while it could take a single maximum tonnage truck, it could not take multiple, as most modern road bridges are designed for. It’s still really impressive that many of these Roman bridges have lasted so long, thanks to being extremely overbuilt.
When designing a bridge, you have to assume that a traffic jam of max-load trucks is stopped in there for hours, tail to tail, in both sides of the road, under max wind conditions, max river flow, etc.. so the safety factor can be in the order or 100 for dynamic loads. But the Romans did a good job on the static loads, so they can survive millenia as long as we do not try to overuse them.
Utterly fascinating. 2,000 years later and the bridges are still functional. That is very impressive. We take so many things for granted with the Scientific Method. What the ancients lacked in knowledge, they made up for it with a deeply tuned common sense
We do somewhat have a survivor's bias in play here. Likely most Roman bridges have collapsed and only the strongest remain. Any flaws would have resulted in failure in the past 1000+ years.
Thanks for this deep and detailed, yet synthetic documentary, on the topic. Instantly got a new subscriber. Those who say "Rome fell" should watch this... Roma stands! It would be interesting to hear your take on the 34 m tall Roman dam that saved a village in Spain from hurricane Dana. And lastly, Roma got a great empire cause they built many more bridges than defensive walls. They brought civilization and trade, and absorbed the best from the cultures they met. Of course, it was better not to piss them off...
@@Scott-i9v2s I know what synthetic means because I'm an educated native speaker of UK Standard English and it is inappropriate in this context. Try a better dictionary.
www.youtube.com/@mariosebastiani3214 What is the Italian word that resulted in "synthetic"? If "sintetico", then another English meaning could be "short". (In which case "breve" is the Italian word to be used in the source to get "short" in the target.) But I sort-of doubt that you really meant "short"... (A tip when translating using for instance GoogleTranslate: single-click on a sentence in the translation to see what it will be UNDERSTOOD AS in THAT language. Adjust the SOURCE if the result is not what one wants. SOMETIMES placing the original word between asterisks (**) will FORCE a more-appropriate translation.)
In northern italy in the mountains and valleys are two roman bridge's. These romans used volcanic cement. I croseed one of the two bridges myself. Trucks, carts pulled by mules went over them. In 2020 during Covid, a massive storm hit the Riveria, inland the rivers swelled over 20'. The new bridge only 50 yrsin Genova, callasped. Hundred died. The two Roman bridges are still standing. Now you jnow the Rest of story.
We do somewhat have a survivor's bias in play here. Likely most Roman bridges have collapsed and only the strongest remain. Any flaws would have resulted in failure in the past 1000+ years.
Roman engineering is fascinating, I used to go to Verona and look at the Roman bridge that spanned the Adige River for long periods of time and think of Rome.
Heavy vehicles are not that hard on a bridge. Squishy tires and suspension. A train, on the other hand, has minimal suspension at best and steel on steel wheels. The load can be spread out with a good road bed, BUT the vibration would cause it to melt basically. The rocks would beat against each other, chipping them. Common problem with old stone buildings next to roadways.
The strength and beauty of the arch, and the dome, for that matter, though neither Roman nor Hellenic discoveries, were nevertheless taken to the utmost esthetic and utilitarian heights by Roman engineers. Those bridges and surviving domes are incredible endowments to Western cultural history.
Given the many silly comments I don't feel strange noting that Horatius at the Bridge was not only Winston Churchill's favorite poem, but it was one he could recite in its entirety from an early age.
The Romans learned by experience, if a bridge collapsed they knew not to build like that again and what caused most of them to fail around the Mediterranean was earthquakes, that was by far the biggest stress they were put under. Of course in the centuries since many have fallen so what we're left with are the best. Survivorship bias.
@victorhopper6774 mostly because economics mitigates against it. We can model how to build a bridge for predicted traffic so it will last a certain amount of time before major upgrades or replacement. We know building to last two millenia would cost many times more than it's worth to do so. We understand that the nature of traffic will change in unpredictable ways eventually so we plan only for the predictable future.
@@Matt_The_Hugenot plenty of bridges will not need to change but they will fall apart first. most stone arch bridges pay for themselves many times over
Not many "Romans" left these days. 🤔😉 There are quite a few Italians, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanians, Romansh, etc - but they nearly all use slightly different pronunciations. 😊
It's little known that the Ancient Romans, as with the Egyptians and Carthaginians, used 18 wheeled diesel trucks to transport stone and other building materials to their job sites. Using these vehicles dramatically reduced their work load thereby adding to their documented longevity. It has been said, "Old Romans never wear out ... they just get a new Peterbilt".
@@Scott-i9v2s At least your intellectual capital allows you to recognize it as a joke. Quite frankly, as a user of heavy equipment and an ardent fan of Tractor Trucks, I'm unaware of a bad piece of equipment even dating back to the 40's. American Iron ... there's nothing like it.
@@Scott-i9v2s There is some good equipment out there from other countries. The Hino products, the ISUZU Engines, and many of them are being applied to American products at the light to mid-size arena. I don't see "Big Iron" in off-shore trucks though. Where Non-American product success has actually created a "niche" is in the Earth Moving Equipment from Japan. Their move to down-scale this equipment has proven brilliant since it gets the job done and also fits into situations the older American equipment won't. Also, let's face it ... when you buy this equipment, you're basically buying it by the pound.
Whats more efficient or economical, engineering a structure to use the minimal material to serve its purpose for maybe 50 years and then tearing it down and rebuilding it or just building ing it once and using it for 20 centuries?
Given the typical trend to minimal-to-NO maintenance, methinks building something to LAST is better. Please note that minimal-to-NO maintenance is NOT anything new; the ancients felt the same way... Though I-personally prefer maintenance to replacement.
A Roman bridge would also fall apart if it was neglected. Properly maintained infrastructure can last hundreds or even thousands of years if properly maintained.
@@Meg_A_Bytethis just shows the modern propensity of designing structure that will only last a few decades (more for profit than any artistic conventions)
@@FormulaObscura Oh, ok. Usually, when I see someone make a comment like yours above, it's when a title of a video is obviously messed up or controversial.
@6:14 "Even the heaviest trucks on US highways wich have a maximum weight of 40 tons." This isn't correct at all. 40 short tons is the general limit for which *no special permitting* is required. Oversize loads are not uncommon. People have a need to move heavy equipment. Cranes and excavators and tanks and stuff. The actual limits for the road are based on the weight divided by the tire contact area which must be distributed over a certain number of axles. It is substantially higher than 40 tons. Bridge limits are case by case and each has it's own rating. As a generality, nearly all bridges in the US are able to handle the army moving tanks on road haulers. That's in the neighborhood of 75 tons each. Doing something like hauling a 120 ton excavator might require a more carefully selected route, but it does get done.
Much of ancient architecture is more emblematic of reshaping the earth in the form of humanity. Versus more modern projects where cities are spread out, disconnected and soulless compared to forming your civilization around the land you call home into more natural beauty
There's three decisions for a bridge 1. How much are you willing to spend for this bridge. 2. How strong does it have to be. 3. How long do you want it to last. We could not afford roman bridges We don't have unlimited manpower We don't care about the local ecological damage that is done to build this bridge The romans could not build some of the bridges.We have built the golden gate bridge in san francisco, and others like it So all the crying about modern bridges, you need to stop the think, how much, what it cost to build the bridge, and is it worth it
I never thought I’d be watching a Toldinstone video about a freight train, while on a freight train with Toldinstone
Please, please elaborate a bit.
We need the juicy details - right now!
You dirty dog ; )
Me when i lie online
@@limehawk4989 ToldInStone and I are in a coffee shop having a good laugh about your comment right now. He says you're a silly goose, and would never survive in the gladiatorial games.
I'd be interested to hear more about that ancient prohibition on nails, sounds like there's a story there
Nails rust and fail, wooden pegs age with the rest of a wooden bridge.
I read something about a need for flexibility, for example movement when the tides changed. Nails didn't allow enough movement.
Nails are expensive and can be stolen, much as the copper wire in our modern street lights is targeted by metal thieves. Unless you wanted to assign a guard to watch the structure making them metal free removes that problem. Metal was used in various structures and buildings to lock together stones and lead was sometimes used between stones in bridge abutments to spread the pressure between blocks, as mentioned in Ancient Engineers by Decamp. My two cents worth.
Once as hobby blacksmith, I made three dozen nail, I use 5mm round rod as raw material. It still was quite a task, heating and hammering them. Sharp point and head, two heat was required.
@@pixelpatter01 Great comment.
Thank you.
Are you a Civil Engineer?
We went out of our way to look at a small Roman bridge in north wales last summer. Very small but still impressive to see it standing after all this time
A fun fact that speaks to its historical importance, the name "Alcántara Bridge" is tautological. The name of the town of Alcántara dates from when Spain was under Arab rule, and means "the bridge" in Arabic.
Cool!
So, the translation is, "The Bridge Bridge"?
@@NorthernChev Like the Detroit River. The River River. ;)
@@LordTelperion detroit isn't French for River.
👍
Awesome! I always wondered they dried out the riverbeds to build support pillars. Really incredible that they did this without modern equipment.
Great vídeo, Thank you.
Here in Portugal there are several Roman Bridges still standing tall.
Julius Ceaser was twice in this area, writing about the campaigns.
2.000 years and a zillion people and their life stories envolving us.
Time stands still!
However, most of the roads leading to those bridges have been replaced by modern highways.
Accordingly, the old Roman structures are seldom used -- although a handfull of them, connecting small villages, are still regularly used.
Going there at night is a magic adventure...
It's interesting how organization and manpower can be as important as technology. Bridges like these being built without modern engine powered cranes or vehicles to move the materials is more impressive in their own way.
I agree. There are many civilizations with access to advanced technology that didn't use them because of a lack of organization or/and manpower. Think of all the massive space superstructures that we have the technology to build, but can't because modern states need to spend their resources warring against each other.
It took less than a month of working for a dysfunctional engineering company for me to figure that out. Doesn't matter how bright they are - you need some structure, some management to bring it all together, and yes you do need people do do things on time (or simply large things).
👍
@@michaeladu6120 Probably the dumbest and most ignorant comment that will appear under this video. Try to finish high school before being stupid in public again.
@@michaeladu6120 That's a good point. If we wanted, we could have rotating space stations around earth, the moon and mars by now.
I know it's not a bridge but I finally got to visit the Pont du Gard in France this year. Absolutely stunning.
It's a bridge with an aqueduct on the top of it, or an aqueduct with a bridge on its base, but yeah, absolutely stunning.
Love the bridges. Love to see more. Thanks again.!
Great video! 😊
Many thanks for this video. It was fascinating. I lived in Pollença (Spain) for a short time. It was lovely re-visiting it again. :)
In Eskikale,Adıyaman,Turkey,the Roman bridge carried modern vehicles and trucks until 21th century.Impressive...
I never thought of the possibility of a Roman bridge carrying a freight train. It is quite a fascinating question, and a good "hook" for this overview of Roman bridges. Thanks for the video :)
Thanks
Fascinating thanks. I have visited the Pont du Gard aqueduct in southern France, which is a magnificent piece of Roman engineering, and walked through the covered water channel at the top.
Really interesting video which taught me a great deal in a short time. Excellent, thank you Doc
Apart from the impressive engineering, watching this it becomes clear that the Romans were also well aware that it was best to build a large single span bridge in the higher elevations, than several smaller ones. Rivers in the hills or mountains are something entirely different than those in flat floodplains. The former are best avoided completely, and if a bridge is built over them you better build it high enough to stay clear of sudden influxes of water. 3:52 That bridge ticks all those boxes. Interesting stuff!
Fascinating , I often wondered why they built the spans between arches ,the width they did . Thank you for such an interesting video !
See that many of the old railway bridges from the steam train time has been upgrades while keeping the old stone foundations as modern trains is far heavier and faster.
Where I live in the English Lake District, two road bridges built in the '60s have recently been condemned for structural failures, causing misery for the local community. Yet the Romans built bridges that are still going strong after 2000 years....
Spanish-speaking lady here. The rules to write the accent marks in Spanish are a bit tricky, but they are quite simple when reading: if there is an accent mark, you accentuate *that* syllable, not another one. Therefore, "Alcántara" is read "ahl-CAHN-tah-rah." No other options, no regional variations. Thanks.
Thanks. This is confusing in this case, not so much by the accent, but by the synthetic suede leather-like material used in many car interiors. This is called alcantara, after the Italian company of the same name, and is commonly used in English with the the TA syllable accentuated. The Italian pronunciation may be different. Like many words starting with "al", this is of Arabic origin, and simply means "the bridge". So that checks out, at least. 🙂
Great job producing your content! Thanks
Beautiful video
I'll never get over how long some thins are in operation for. Such as the longest operational lapis lazuli mine in the world out in Afghanistan. 3k Years and going.
That's interesting. Where did you pick up this tidbit? I would love to learn about this mine?
@@MiaHerssens I first learned about it in a documentary series called In the Footsteps of Alexander. It isn't some big mine like you might be thinking. it has been getting mined the same way for millennia.
Enjoyed this very much.
Such an informative video! I had no idea.
The marvels of Roman engineering.
Good video, very informative.
In France several roman bridges resisted to huhe floods weither more ecent bridges were destroyed. One observe the same with Vauban's dams which were not affected in Ile de Ré, several years ago, though recent dams were destroyed. Maybe it could be considered as a proof that the short term profit is very expensive.
Way overbuilding was the best thing to do really. Any idiot can build a bridge that stands up, but it takes an engineer to build a bridge that barely stands up.
And a REALLY cluey one to build a bridge that comes in well under budget, enabling him to grab the bonus and scarper to a tax haven with no extradition treaty a few days before its programmed obsolescence comes into play! 🙄😉😊
Absolutely fascinatingly educational
I live in northern Italy near the pont st Martin. pretty funny seeing cars drive over it. It's used to reach a few houses.
And I found a paved Roman road still in use in Tuscany.
That was cool. Thank you.
That was a good one!
Besides excelent content of this chanel "Told in stone" is one of the best name of youtube chanel in my opinion . Both poetic and factual at the same time .
Oh the train lines here in KY are Egyptian. For sure 👍 Not the passenger ones, but freight. No one in the 1800s was building train tunnels in the Appalachian/Smokey Mountains.
It's the Camelback locos which did it.
Why would Kentucky have needed anthracite-burning engines? Kentucky coal is bituminous.
@@garryferrington811Dirty bastards
so if we want to build something as solid and lasting, we just need to:
use the best material available
build using the best construction methods
pay whatever it costs (instead of trying to extract the maximum profit)
We need Ancient Rome Truck Simulator 100 AD posthaste.
"Train of carts" simulator...
Roman Road Truckers, coming soon to History Channel.
Literally yes, I'd pay for a Roman cart or sailing simulator
I read that as toothpaste. Gave you 👍 for inventiveness.
Let's not forget the ancient contractors who built these marvels.
Very interesting. Thank you.
Railroad bridges are built for an order of magnitude more weight. I suspect the figures given here are for the total maximum safe weight, so while it could take a single maximum tonnage truck, it could not take multiple, as most modern road bridges are designed for. It’s still really impressive that many of these Roman bridges have lasted so long, thanks to being extremely overbuilt.
When designing a bridge, you have to assume that a traffic jam of max-load trucks is stopped in there for hours, tail to tail, in both sides of the road, under max wind conditions, max river flow, etc.. so the safety factor can be in the order or 100 for dynamic loads. But the Romans did a good job on the static loads, so they can survive millenia as long as we do not try to overuse them.
a few years ago they rebuilt the 50 year old local overpasses
In the German city of Trier is a 2k old Roman bridge still in use by modern road trafic and 172 meters long riverbarges can go trough it.
Utterly fascinating. 2,000 years later and the bridges are still functional. That is very impressive.
We take so many things for granted with the Scientific Method. What the ancients lacked in knowledge, they made up for it with a deeply tuned common sense
We do somewhat have a survivor's bias in play here. Likely most Roman bridges have collapsed and only the strongest remain. Any flaws would have resulted in failure in the past 1000+ years.
@@palarious still amazing how many were built basicly by hand
@@victorhopper6774 It is still these days that most tools are manipulated (pun intended) by HANDS...
@@Scott-i9v2s most stuff is produced by machines and carried by machines,
@@victorhopper6774 Yet, ULTIMATELY, in the bitter end, HANDS operate said machines.🙂 (But I definitely get your drift.)
The things that we built today need constant maintenance. There is no way that our structures will exist in a thousand years.
Modern structures use steel. Steel rusts and it wasn't meant to last.
Oh some may well still be in use. But, like Grandpa's best axe, they will have had 100 new handles and 25 new heads. 😜🤣🤣
Thanks for this deep and detailed, yet synthetic documentary, on the topic. Instantly got a new subscriber.
Those who say "Rome fell" should watch this... Roma stands!
It would be interesting to hear your take on the 34 m tall Roman dam that saved a village in Spain from hurricane Dana.
And lastly, Roma got a great empire cause they built many more bridges than defensive walls. They brought civilization and trade, and absorbed the best from the cultures they met. Of course, it was better not to piss them off...
"Synthetic" doesn't mean anything in English in this context.
@@spoffspoffington Then explain the concept to me in Italian, without making any mistake. Buffone.
@@spoffspoffington "not real or genuine; artificial; feigned" are all valid meanings HERE for "synthetic".
@@Scott-i9v2s I know what synthetic means because I'm an educated native speaker of UK Standard English and it is inappropriate in this context. Try a better dictionary.
www.youtube.com/@mariosebastiani3214 What is the Italian word that resulted in "synthetic"? If "sintetico", then another English meaning could be "short". (In which case "breve" is the Italian word to be used in the source to get "short" in the target.) But I sort-of doubt that you really meant "short"...
(A tip when translating using for instance GoogleTranslate: single-click on a sentence in the translation to see what it will be UNDERSTOOD AS in THAT language. Adjust the SOURCE if the result is not what one wants. SOMETIMES placing the original word between asterisks (**) will FORCE a more-appropriate translation.)
In northern italy in the mountains and valleys are two roman bridge's. These romans used volcanic cement. I croseed one of the two bridges myself. Trucks, carts pulled by mules went over them. In 2020 during Covid, a massive storm hit the Riveria, inland the rivers swelled over 20'. The new bridge only 50 yrsin Genova, callasped. Hundred died. The two Roman bridges are still standing. Now you jnow the Rest of story.
Try writing in English
Stick to Italiano. It would be easier to understand
@@spoffspoffington Try making HELPFUL comments, instead of being negative.
We do somewhat have a survivor's bias in play here. Likely most Roman bridges have collapsed and only the strongest remain. Any flaws would have resulted in failure in the past 1000+ years.
Great vid! Thanks!
Roman engineering is fascinating, I used to go to Verona and look at the Roman bridge that spanned the Adige River for long periods of time and think of Rome.
The German bastards blew it up in WWII
When they rebuilt London bridge, after selling the old one to America, the wooden elm piles used by the Romans were still solid!
Seriously?
@@PatSmith-wi1kzYup, you can go see it in Arizona. They used the exterior masonry to replicate the original with a modern support structure.
It was the C18th bridge they Sold. The original mediæval bridge was a few feet downstream
Wooden piles don't really degrade if they stay fully submerged in water all the time.
Heavy vehicles are not that hard on a bridge. Squishy tires and suspension. A train, on the other hand, has minimal suspension at best and steel on steel wheels. The load can be spread out with a good road bed, BUT the vibration would cause it to melt basically. The rocks would beat against each other, chipping them. Common problem with old stone buildings next to roadways.
I dont see the link to your upcoming trip to Italy in the description or on your Patreon. Where do I get details?
The bridges are so strong, they could even support Nero's mom.
Very interesting. Perhaps you could make a video about the ruins in Baalbek and how it looks impossible from ancient civilizations to have built it
A bit difficult getting there right now! 😱😵💫🙄
The strength and beauty of the arch, and the dome, for that matter, though neither Roman nor Hellenic discoveries, were nevertheless taken to the utmost esthetic and utilitarian heights by Roman engineers. Those bridges and surviving domes are incredible endowments to Western cultural history.
Given the many silly comments I don't feel strange noting that Horatius at the Bridge was not only Winston Churchill's favorite poem, but it was one he could recite in its entirety from an early age.
Any chance theres a collab with you and History for Granite would be interesting
The Romans learned by experience, if a bridge collapsed they knew not to build like that again and what caused most of them to fail around the Mediterranean was earthquakes, that was by far the biggest stress they were put under.
Of course in the centuries since many have fallen so what we're left with are the best. Survivorship bias.
there will be no modern bridges still standing in 2000 years
@victorhopper6774 mostly because economics mitigates against it. We can model how to build a bridge for predicted traffic so it will last a certain amount of time before major upgrades or replacement. We know building to last two millenia would cost many times more than it's worth to do so. We understand that the nature of traffic will change in unpredictable ways eventually so we plan only for the predictable future.
@@Matt_The_Hugenot plenty of bridges will not need to change but they will fall apart first. most stone arch bridges pay for themselves many times over
@@Matt_The_Hugenot you know what they say about the plans of mice and man.
@@victorhopper6774Roman bridges were not made to carry vehicles that weigh tens of thousands of kgs. You’re just in love with a dead civilization
Building your house on top of a Roman bridge. Absolutely Barbaric.
You pronounced gunwhale correctly, well done old boy.
Now I know why some people spell it "gunnel"...
Amazing!
Great video. Would be great to have roman language pronounciaton of the names. I pretty much did not recognise the names when pronounced in english.
Not many "Romans" left these days. 🤔😉
There are quite a few Italians, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanians, Romansh, etc - but they nearly all use slightly different pronunciations. 😊
More.
MORE!
Have you done a video on the music and instruments in use in Rome?
Very cool
beautiful
I do not see where one can view the details of your upcoming Trovatrip. Where can I find the link? Thank you.
I went to the Trovatrip site. I could not find your trip there.
It's little known that the Ancient Romans, as with the Egyptians and Carthaginians, used 18 wheeled diesel trucks to transport stone and other building materials to their job sites. Using these vehicles dramatically reduced their work load thereby adding to their documented longevity. It has been said, "Old Romans never wear out ... they just get a new Peterbilt".
Nice joke re Peterbilt/diesels. Though many-wheeled vehicles makes sense, especially way-back-then.
@@Scott-i9v2s At least your intellectual capital allows you to recognize it as a joke. Quite frankly, as a user of heavy equipment and an ardent fan of Tractor Trucks, I'm unaware of a bad piece of equipment even dating back to the 40's. American Iron ... there's nothing like it.
@@richardgreen7811 Re your last sentence: I could take THAT as a joke, & say "Thank goodness (for the rest of the world)...🤣🤣".
@@Scott-i9v2s There is some good equipment out there from other countries. The Hino products, the ISUZU Engines, and many of them are being applied to American products at the light to mid-size arena. I don't see "Big Iron" in off-shore trucks though. Where Non-American product success has actually created a "niche" is in the Earth Moving Equipment from Japan. Their move to down-scale this equipment has proven brilliant since it gets the job done and also fits into situations the older American equipment won't. Also, let's face it ... when you buy this equipment, you're basically buying it by the pound.
@@richardgreen7811 🙂
Whats more efficient or economical, engineering a structure to use the minimal material to serve its purpose for maybe 50 years and then tearing it down and rebuilding it or just building ing it once and using it for 20 centuries?
Given the typical trend to minimal-to-NO maintenance, methinks building something to LAST is better. Please note that minimal-to-NO maintenance is NOT anything new; the ancients felt the same way...
Though I-personally prefer maintenance to replacement.
Any history of the laborers involved?
Damn that’s crazy.
Sadly Roman Steam engines were too small for Freight trains.
I’d be curious to know what structures had lasted up to 20th centuries (and would likely still be standing) but were destroyed by modern wars.
Respect to Roman Engineers, working without computers
PRECISELY their LACK of modern technology is what caused them to OVER-compensate, and thus their constructions to be so solid.
peace be upon you sir from me
Just another reason that Friday's rule!
Now I understand.
Fabulous
Nice
Meanwhile bridges under a century old in the wealthiest, most powerful polity in the history of the earth are falling apart already 😂
Everyone can design and build a bridge that's solid. But only the best engineer can design a bridge that's just solid enough.
A Roman bridge would also fall apart if it was neglected. Properly maintained infrastructure can last hundreds or even thousands of years if properly maintained.
Here in Glasgow Scotland We have the "squinty bridge" made from cheap chinesium steel, it's falling to bits after a few years 😢
@@Meg_A_Bytethis just shows the modern propensity of designing structure that will only last a few decades (more for profit than any artistic conventions)
To be fair, roman bridges never took 20 million motor vehicles a week or whatever.
I’m in Venice and i don’t think the bridges here couldn’t hold a train lol. It’s like a swamp I believe but still strong stone and such.
Venice was built in the twilight of Rome by refugees I don’t think it counts
Venice was built after the Roman Empire collapse
@metatronyt would love this video lol
Here before the title changes
Why would there be a title change? What's wrong with calling this video, "Could a Roman bridge carry a freight train?"
@@MatthewTheWanderer Nothing wrong with it, on previous videos he often changes the title though, not sure why
@@FormulaObscura Oh, ok. Usually, when I see someone make a comment like yours above, it's when a title of a video is obviously messed up or controversial.
@@FormulaObscura There's also AB testing happening quite often. It's just a way of learning what "the algorithm" likes,
Dang I guess I'm here after
Good engineering isn't about building a strong bridge, it's about building a weak bridge that stands anyway.
Modern day, it’s about building a bridge that’s the cheapest that can still work
Toldinstone even looks like he could be a roman beauracrat.
Nitpick, but you can have 130,000 lb (65 ton) vehicles on the highway. Large mobile cranes would exceed the arch's theorized capacity.
To get to the other side?
A Roman bridge could carry the weight of an empire.
6:08 here is the answer
Pont... ( on ) is one sound, the ( t ) is silent
@6:14 "Even the heaviest trucks on US highways wich have a maximum weight of 40 tons."
This isn't correct at all. 40 short tons is the general limit for which *no special permitting* is required. Oversize loads are not uncommon. People have a need to move heavy equipment. Cranes and excavators and tanks and stuff.
The actual limits for the road are based on the weight divided by the tire contact area which must be distributed over a certain number of axles. It is substantially higher than 40 tons.
Bridge limits are case by case and each has it's own rating. As a generality, nearly all bridges in the US are able to handle the army moving tanks on road haulers. That's in the neighborhood of 75 tons each. Doing something like hauling a 120 ton excavator might require a more carefully selected route, but it does get done.
🙏🙏🙏
Much of ancient architecture is more emblematic of reshaping the earth in the form of humanity. Versus more modern projects where cities are spread out, disconnected and soulless compared to forming your civilization around the land you call home into more natural beauty
Re "spread out, disconnected and soulless": You are probably basing this on a USA-centric background, in which case I totally agree.🙂
no matter how well made, any roman bridge would collapse under the weight of your mom.
This joke brought to you by probably some roman 3000 years ago
I thoguht the thumbnail was the Mostar Bridge and got me thinking that you too regarded the Ottomans as the true successors of Rome.
Now that's what you call infrastructure .
It's very frustrating trying too understand the measures when the y are not normal id est metric.
Type ""Convert US metric ton to metric ton" in Google.
Would have been strong enough to permit the passage of a legion and all its gear, animals, supplies of iron, stuff to build artillery. There and back
I guess I’m the first to make a reference to Monty Python…
A duck!
There's three decisions for a bridge
1. How much are you willing to spend for this bridge.
2. How strong does it have to be.
3. How long do you want it to last.
We could not afford roman bridges
We don't have unlimited manpower
We don't care about the local ecological damage that is done to build this bridge
The romans could not build some of the bridges.We have built the golden gate bridge in san francisco, and others like it
So all the crying about modern bridges, you need to stop the think, how much, what it cost to build the bridge, and is it worth it