Roman bridges
During the Roman Republic, the construction of bridges developed significantly. By the 1st century BC, two types of such structures had been developed. The first type includes simple bridges with one or more spans, which we are accustomed to seeing in modern cities. The second type includes bridges with 2-3 rows of arcades, such as the Pont du Gard in modern-day France, built at the end of the Republican period.
Pont du Gard, 1st century AD, France, modern view.
Mulvian Bridge, 109 BC, Rome, modern view.Bright examples of single-tier span bridges are the Mulvian Bridge, the Fabricius Bridge, and the Cestius Bridge in Rome. The construction of the Mulvian Bridge dates back to 109 BC, and it is part of the Flaminian Way. The bridge is a six-span stone structure without any decorative elements. This construction has survived to the present day in a somewhat rebuilt form. The Fabricius and Cestius bridges in Rome connected the Tiber Island on the Tiber River with the city: on the left bank, the Fabricius Bridge, built in 62 BC, which has survived to this day, and on the right bank, the Cestius Bridge led to the Trastevere district, built in 46 BC, but completely rebuilt in 370 AD by emperors Valentinian, Valens, and Gratian, and also entirely remodeled at the end of the last century (Staccioli R.A. Ancient Rome, p.60.). Speaking specifically of the Fabricius Bridge, which has survived almost in its original form, it should be noted that the architect managed to introduce order elements for decoration, embellishing the bridge's piers and thereby softening their massiveness (Sokolov G.I. The Art of Ancient Rome, p.44.). During the Imperial period, there were nine stone bridges in the Roman state.
Fabricius Bridge, 62 BC, Rome, modern view.
Cestius Bridge, 46 BC, Rome, modern view.Related topics
Roman Republic, Architecture in Ancient Rome,Roman roads, Roman Empire
Literature
1. Sokolov G.I. The Art of Ancient Rome. Moscow, Art, 1971.
2. Staccioli R.A. Ancient Rome. Rome, 1998.
