List of Ancient Roman Inventions: List of Roman Inventions: Gladiatorial Combat *** Mechanical Elevators *** Stage effects *** Awning *** Lottery *** Stadium *** Drinking Fountains *** Aqueducts *** Public Toilets *** Baths *** Water and Sewer Systems *** Arches *** Surgical instruments and techniques *** Concrete *** Crowd Control *** Toga *** Newspapers *** Roads *** Roman numerals *** Julian Calendar *** Armor *** Weapons *** Roman Inventions List ***

Roman Inventions - Concrete: The invention of the Concrete was  a major advancement enabling massive buildings to be built quickly, efficiently. Concrete, one of the great Roman inventions. was made by mixing a strong volcanic material (called pazzolana) with rubble, sand and a mixture of limestone. Tufo, a porous stone, was also used in the preparation of cement for the minor pillars and radial walls.

Roman Inventions - Arches: It is believed that Archimedes of Sicily was the inventor of the arch, one of the greatest invention ever made in architecture. Vaulted arches, one of the great Roman inventions. made the ceilings much stronger than a flat ceiling would have been and those made of concrete added strength to the building without adding excessive weight. Roman arches enabled the ancient Romans to build massive structures, such as the Coliseum, with the humblest materials. The invention and use of the vaulted arch led to the fast and cheap construction of bridges, aqueducts, sewers, amphitheatres, palaces and temples.

Roman Inventions - Aqueducts: Aqueducts are artificial channels for conveying water. The first invention of aqueducts, is attributed to Appius Claudius. The Roman Aqueducts, one of the great Roman inventions. were a feat of engineering that used the downhill flow of water from distant streams and springs into the city centers. Multi-tiered arched viaducts, some over 100 feet high and some that cut through mountains, were developed by engineers. The water was then distributed through lead and terra-cotta pipes to storage reservoirs to the Romans. Five hundred thousand barrels of water per day reached Rome, which had over one million inhabitants, by means of the Ancient Roman aqueducts. Aqueducts were vital to the Romans. In 537 AD Rome was besieged  by the Goths who destroyed the aqueducts which supplied Rome with water. The Romans could not survive without water and the population of Rome fell by 90%.

Roman Inventions - Bacon: The Romans developed the preservation process of salting, curing and smoking bacon that enabled them to transport pork, without spoilage, over long distances, in warm climates across the Roman Empire.

Roman Inventions - Water and Sewer Systems: Rome and other major cities had an extensive network of sewers and drains that ran along the sides of streets. Pipes were installed in the walls of baths and buildings to carry the water. A waste-water collection system discharged the waste into the drains or the main sewer system.

Roman Inventions - Baths: In Ancient Rome and other major cites at least three rooms set apart for the bath in private, luxurious houses but their were namy more rooms required for the public baths. Stoves or furnaces heated the water and hot air circulated under the floors and through spaces around the walls. Baths consisted of a room for undressing and dressing called the apodyterium. A warm anteroom called the tepidarium, a type of sweat room. The caldarium) for the hot bath. The frigidarium) for the cold bath and the unctorium the room that was used for the rubbing and anointing with oil that finished the bath.

Roman Inventions - Public Toilets: Public Communal toilets, or latrines, consisted of a row of holed seats, some may have seated as many as 100 people. A flow of water circulated under the seats connecting to a series of small drains which, in turn, connected to the the main sewerage system of the city.

Roman Inventions - Stadium: The Coliseum was the first indoor 'sports' Stadium in the world, that shielded spectators from the elements. Our modern sports stadiums are designed in a similar fashion to the Coliseum.

Roman Inventions - Awning: The Coliseum had an Awning, connected to a circle of 240 masts, that was made to protect spectators from the sun and the rain.

Roman Inventions - Drinking Fountains: Evidence has been found of over 100 drinking fountains in the Colosseum.

Roman Inventions - Gladiatorial Combat / Armor / Weapons: When we think  the Romans we also think of Gladiators. The Romans developed gladiatorial combat into a major industry. The roman notion of "Fair Play" dictated that matched pairs of gladiators consisted of one fighter who was hampered by heavy armor another Gladiator with only minimal armor but  had freedom of movement. Gladiators were also matched in such a way that some were equipped with light weapons, whilst their opponents had heavy weapons.  The Romans invented various different types and styles of armor, fighting methods and armor to ensure a "fair fight".

Roman Inventions - Mechanical Elevators: The invention of the Mechanical Elevators was made to accommodate the elaborate stage effects at the Coliseum in Rome. A simple system of weights and pulleys worked the elevators taking various animals or stage props from beneath the stadium to the floor of the Arena.

Roman Inventions - Stage effects: The Romans used their imagination in the invention of amazing Stage effects and scenery. Invisible wires were used across the arena to give the impression that people were flying, artificial caves were built together with forests consisting of trees and wild animals.

Roman Inventions - Lottery: The Romans invented a Lottery that was held at the Coliseum in which 'tickets' were thrown into the crowd awarding prizes of clothes, household items, gold and jewelry.

Roman Inventions - Surgical instruments and techniques: In many ways violence dominated the culture of the Romans from their great army that conquered half of the civilized world to the gladiators that fought in the great arenas. The physicians had plenty of work and invented a vast range of Surgical instruments and techniques building on the surgical advances achieved by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Many thousands of lives were saved by the skill of the Ancient Roman surgeons, who even performed delicate eye surgery and complex brain surgery. 

Roman Inventions - Crowd Control: The Ancient Romans invented the concept of Crowd Control to cope with the massive numbers of people who attended the gladiatorial games at the Coliseum. The Coliseum  was the biggest arena in the world, capable of holding between 50,000 - 80,000 people. Crowd control was essential and the architects designed and ingenious system and network of entrances, exits, staircases and corridors that allowed the crowds to enter and exit the Colosseum quickly and easily. There were 80 separate numbered entrance arches to the Coliseum that led to corridors, staircases and passages to the seats. By using so many separate entrances the architects of the Coliseum solved the problem of crowd control and enabled the Colosseum to be cleared in less than 15 minutes.

Roman Inventions - Toga: Only Roman citizens were permitted to wear the toga, a gracefully draped item of clothing generally worn over a tunic. The colors of togas reflected the status of the wearers. Only the Emperors was allowed to wear a purple toga and only the the augurs were allowed to wear a saffron toga. Senators and magistrates wore a toga with stripes on the border symbolizing their status. Only generals in their triumphs were allowed to wear a toga with a gold border.

Roman Inventions - Newspapers: The first Newspapers were invented by the Romans as a natural complement to the praecones the public heralds, or town criers, who made public announcements of the latest news and daily events. Handwritten news sheets (Newspapers), were published daily by the government consisting of news on political news, military campaigns, scandals, trials and executions.

Roman Inventions - Roads: The Ancient Roman roads, one of the great Roman inventions, were of major importance to the Romans and their vast Empire, allowing fast and easy access and a vital communication network across the thousands of miles across their Empire. Roads measured between 8 and 40 feet  which was wide enough to take a chariot. Their roads were built to a consistent design with a foundation, or Agger, contained a layer of rubble with stones which were laid in such a way to provide drainage. The next element of the road consisted of a layer of sand or gravel was laid on the foundation. The top surfaces of the roads were paved with gravel or flint and small broken stones. 

Roman Inventions - Halloween: The history and origin of Halloween date back to pagan festivals assimilated by the Roman Empire.

Roman Inventions - Roman numerals: The ancient Roman numerals system, one of the great Roman inventions. consisted of Letters of the alphabet that were used to represent numbers for eaxample I = 1; V = 5; X = 10; L = 50; C = 100; D = 500; M = 1000. Roman numerals are still used today and can be found in many places such as on analogue clocks and watches, copyright dates on movies, the titles of sporting events such as the Super Bowl and on the inscriptions of monuments.

Roman Inventions - Julian Calendar: The Julian calendar was a reform of the Roman calendar which was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC dividing the year into twelve lunar months.

Roman Inventions List: List of Ancient Roman Inventions: Gladiatorial Combat *** Stage effects *** Awning *** Stadium *** Mechanical Elevators *** Drinking Fountains *** Public Toilets *** Baths *** Water and Sewer Systems *** Surgical instruments and techniques *** Crowd Control *** Toga *** Newspapers *** Roads *** Roman numerals *** Julian Calendar *** Lottery *** Concrete *** Aqueducts *** Arches *** List of Roman Inventions ***