WHAT THE ROMANS TAUGHT US
How ancient Roman technologies have influenced the modern world
WORDS AILSA HARVEY
DID YOU KNOW?
A city that includes ‘chester’, ‘caster’ or ‘cester’ is likely Roman – derived from ‘castrum’, Latin for ‘fort’
With an empire that dominated most of Europe, western Asia, northern Africa and the Mediterranean, the Romans held enormous power and influence. From the 8th century BCE – when Rome was founded – to the empire’s collapse in the 5th century CE, the Romans developed effective ways to build and maintain large communities. Although millennia have passed, the masterful work of the Romans can still be seen today.
Did you know?
Servants were used to keep hypocaust systems operating
Their ability to utilise the resources they uncovered was impressive. Proving to be expert engineers, they used water and their knowledge of physics to produce energy for mills. On farmland, they taught the agricultural world how to maximise field yields. Crop rotations were established by the Romans, who invented the ‘food, feed, fallow’ system. By splitting farms into these three allotments, it ensured there were always crops ready to pick.