Period 7 · 753 BCE-476 CE

Ancient Rome

Rome borrowed from the Greeks and the Etruscans, then built on a scale no one had tried: concrete domes, aqueducts striding across valleys, paved roads from Britain to Syria and an arena for tens of thousands. These guides show how the Romans did it, and where you can still walk through what they built.

The illuminated Colosseum in Rome beneath a deep blue evening sky. — Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

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Roman Architecture: What Made It Different?

Concrete, arches and a whole range of building types: what set Roman architecture apart from the Greek temple.Start here5 min read

Roman Arch: How It Works, and Did Rome Invent It?

Wedge-shaped stones, sideways thrust and strong piers: how the Roman arch works, and who built arches first.5 min read

What Was the Purpose of the Colosseum?

Games, gifts and a seating plan of Roman society: what the Colosseum was for, from 80 CE to 438.3 min read

Roman City Planning: Was Every Town a Grid? No

Cardo, decumanus and a forum in the middle: how Romans planned towns like Timgad, and why Rome itself never fitted.4 min read

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All Ancient Rome guides

Roman Arch: How It Works, and Did Rome Invent It?

Wedge-shaped stones, sideways thrust and strong piers: how the Roman arch works, and who built arches first.5 min read

What Was the Purpose of the Colosseum?

Games, gifts and a seating plan of Roman society: what the Colosseum was for, from 80 CE to 438.3 min read

Roman City Planning: Was Every Town a Grid? No

Cardo, decumanus and a forum in the middle: how Romans planned towns like Timgad, and why Rome itself never fitted.4 min read

Roman Architecture: What Made It Different?

Concrete, arches and a whole range of building types: what set Roman architecture apart from the Greek temple.5 min read

Roman Colosseum Inside: Seats, Corridors, Lifts

Seats by rank, 76 numbered arches and 28 lifts below the arena: how the inside of the Colosseum worked.4 min read

How Were Roman Roads Built, and Why Did They Last?

Embankments, camber and ditches, not a four-layer recipe: how Roman roads were really built, from the Via Appia on.5 min read

Roman Dome: How the Pantheon Stays Up

A 43-metre concrete dome with a hole in the top: how the Pantheon was built and why it stands.4 min read

Roman Bridges: How They Were Built and Why They Last

Cofferdams, wedge-shaped stones and two thousand years of floods: how Roman bridges were built, and which still stand.4 min read

Why Has Roman Concrete Lasted 2,000 Years?

Volcanic ash, quicklime and seawater: the chemistry behind Roman concrete, and what labs have found since 2017.5 min read

Roman Forum: What It Was, Building by Building

A drained marsh that became Rome's political centre for a thousand years: what the Roman Forum was, building by building.4 min read

When Was the Colosseum Built? Between 70 and 82 CE

Begun under Vespasian around 70-72 CE, opened by Titus in 80: the Colosseum's dates and why they matter.4 min read

Aqua Claudia: The Aqueduct Two Emperors Built

Begun by Caligula, finished by Claudius: the aqueduct whose arches still cross Rome's Parco degli Acquedotti.3 min read

How Did Roman Aqueducts Work? Mostly Underground

Nearly all of Rome's first aqueduct ran underground. How Roman aqueducts carried water by gravity, and why arches were rare.4 min read

Roman Temple: How It Differs from a Greek Temple

High podium, front staircase, columns attached to the walls: how a Roman temple differs from a Greek one.4 min read

Roman Brickwork: A Brick Skin on a Concrete Wall

Most Roman "brick walls" are concrete with a brick skin. How opus testaceum worked, and where to see it.4 min read

Pont du Gard: Why Build It So High?

Nearly 49 metres high for water that fell 25 centimetres a kilometre: why the Pont du Gard exists.3 min read

How Were Rome’s Sewers Built? The Cloaca Maxima

Rome's great sewer began as a drain for a marsh and still works: how the Cloaca Maxima was built.3 min read

Roman Amphitheatre: How Rome Built for Crowds

From Pompeii's 70 BCE arena to the Colosseum: how the Roman amphitheatre was built to seat, sort and move crowds.4 min read

Segovia Aqueduct: How 167 Arches Stand Without Mortar

167 granite arches, no mortar, and a date that keeps moving: what is known about Segovia's Roman aqueduct.3 min read

Does the Keystone Hold Up the Arch? Not on Its Own

The keystone is the last stone set, not the one that holds everything. What actually keeps an arch up.3 min read