Monthly Archives: August 2019

Roman tech – Modern uses

(Originally published on October July 15, 2010)


Mapungubwe National Park Interpretive Centre, Peter Rich Architects, (2008), a) interior view, b) under construction (Photo: James Bellamy).  

The construction of the Mapungubwe National Park Interpretive Centre in South Africa was inspired by ancient Roman construction techniques such as the arched ceiling structure and the use of local materials for a new model of subtlety. The project, designed by John Ochsendorf, a professor of civil engineering and architecture at MIT, and built between 2007 and 2010, aims to demonstrate that it is possible to build modern buildings using inexpensive materials near the construction site (one of the rules). to minimize costs and reduce construction time), thereby significantly reducing energy consumption and pollution associated with construction projects. A time-lapse video about this building could be watched here.

Wine production with Roman vessels

(Originally published on January 5, 2010)

French cellar using Roman-style vessels

TIME magazine has just published an interesting article about the recent use of the Roman amphora model in the production of high quality wines. Once again the validity of Roman technology is recognized for achieving excellence while ensuring the sustainability of the solution both in terms of energy and the materials used. The recent massification of the use of stainless steel vats has created some problems in the quality of the wines obtained namely in the production of Port Wine, forcing the use of micro-oxygenation and others processes to improve the bouquet, body and other characteristics of wines. In contrast, the porosity of the Roman vessels provide a natural micro-oxygenation without energy consumption. Another important advantage is the oval shape of the vessels that allows the formation of a vortex during fermentation which are attenuated by the angles of the traditional vats; the vortex can rotate for weeks facilitating the natural lifting of the sludge.
Read original story here.

Roman road section found in Évora

(Originally published on June 23, 2009)

A section of the Roman road that passed by the Évora aerodrome was discovered due to the works of the future Aeronautical Industry Park. Although the passage of a Roman road in this area was already known, following the crossing of the river Xarrama in the Old Bridge of Xarrama, this discovery clarifies the exact layout of the road. As this section is just outside the city, hopefully this time the road will be properly kept in tow of the important necropolis discovered there. This section would be part of Antonino’s Itinerary XXI, linking Ebora with Pace Julia (now Beja), passing the Serpa, Arucci and Fines stations for which there are no defined locations yet. It is assumed, however, that this road would go in the direction of Portel and Moura, continuing later by Serpa until Beja.

vide route here – https://viasromanas.pt/#evora_serpa

A book about Roman Itineraries in Alentejo

(Originally published on April 6, 2009)

A new book about Roman roads has just been published by researcher André Carneiro. The book entitled «Itinerários Romanos do Alentejo» ( “Roman Itineraries of the Alentejo”) is a rereading fifty years later of the singular work of Mario Saa (1893-1971) entitled «As Grandes Vias da Lusitânia – o Itinerário de Antonino Pio» (“The Great Roads of Lusitania – The Itinerary of Antoninus Pius”) published in six volumes between 1951 and 1967. Despite its imperfections, the work of Mário Saa is still of primordial importance for the study of the Roman roads in Portugal. He has been widely criticized for its fanciful interpretations, errors and inaccuracies. However, the pioneering spirit of the work and the amount of archaeological information contained in it deserve this rereading entirely in the light of current knowledge. André Carneiro thus tries to mark the routes proposed by Saa with the remaining evidence on the ground while integrating the enormous advances of recent years in the knowledge of the Roman road. Although this work is still far from being completed by pointing a direction and a way, André Carneiro’s work will certainly have a strong impact on future work on the study of Roman itineraries in the Alentejo.

Milestones in Passau, Germany

(Originally published on April 2, 2009)

  • Milestone @ Museum
  • Milestone @ Centre
  • Roman road
  • City centre

Some pictures I took in Passau, former Batavis located, in the Roman province of Noricum, at the confluence of the rivers Danube and Inn, a strategic place for the defence of the empire of the Germanic tribes. Photos of the two existing milestones in the city; one is in the outer garden of Boiotro Castle, built on Roman foundations and now home to the Römer Museum; the other milestone, still in situ, is on a corner of the old town, next to the old city gate, in line with the old Roman road along the Danube (Donausüdstraße) from Vindobona, present-day Vienna, passing Batavis (Boiodoro on Antonino’s Itinerary) currently Passau, then on to Quintianis (Künzing) and Regino (Regensburg).

Milestone in the «Solar da Camoeira»

(Originally published on August 6, 2007)

  • 11 miles to Ebora

Photos of the Camoeira milestone in the headquarters of the public company «Estradas de Portugal» in Évora. The milestone was found close to «Solar da Camoeira» on the Roman road linking Évora to Beja signalling 11 miles to Évora. Photos kindly sent by Paulo Manços. Coordinates: 38.555409, -7.909823

vide route here – https://viasromanas.pt/#evora_beja

The Roman bridge of Segura

(Originally published on October 17, 2007)

The public company «Estradas de Portugal» (EP) responsible for the Portuguese road network carried out rehabilitation works on the Roman Bridge of Segura for structural reinforcement. As the bridge is not a classified monument and still used today EP took the responsibility of the works. The result was disastrous for the Roman monument because they chose to place modern cement to reinforce the pillars. This regrettable approach reveals an insensitivity and incompetence that only deserves to be censored, mainly because there are only 4 major Roman bridges left in Portugal and Segura bridge is one of them. The photos were kindly provided by Spanish researcher Juan Gil who alerted me to this situation. Coordinates: 39.817222, -6.981573

vide route here – https://viasromanas.pt/#idanha_merida

Another milestone discovered in Tomar

(Originally published on September 26, 2007 )

During renovation works taking place at Av. Norton de Matos in Tomar, two fragments of columns probably belonging to a milestone were unearthed. If this is the case, this landmark would belong to the Roman road linking Braga to Lisbon and passing in Tomar, then called Seilium. Given the proximity of the forum (at the back of the Municipal Fire Station) this milestone should thus indicate mile 94 from Lisbon, adding one more milestone to the following list:

  • Two milestones found in S. João do Couto and now in the Museu do Carmo in Lisbon; one dedicated to Tacitus, CIL II, 6197, and one to Maximian, CIL 6198;
  • Two milestones found in the Church of St. Maria dos Olivais;
  • A milestone discovered on Everard Street and buried there.

vide route here – https://viasromanas.pt/#condeixa_santarem

://viasromanas.pt/#condeixa_santarem