Roman Inventions We Still Use
Looking back from our hi-tech modern age at the grandiose interventions of historical civilizations, it’s easy to feel superior. Sure, the Romans created the first forms of central heating and an entire numerical system but they would be astounded by the everyday modern inventions that we take for granted, such as television sets, bicycles, electricity and electronic calculators. But, by the same token they would have felt equally superior to those that came before them who did not have roads, aqueducts and sewerage systems, which for them at the time were everyday technologies.
Even though we may not feel an immediate sense of awe when we hear about their innovations, the Roman inventions that still exist in some form, today, 2,000 years later, are certainly deserving of our gratitude and respect.
Roman Concrete Has Stood The Test Of Time
Let’s start with concrete! We know that the Romans were not the first civilisation to use concrete, but they pioneered a unique evolution of it known as opus caementicium and were the first to use it on a massive scale to build iconic monuments like the Grand Colosseum. Being composed of quicklime, pozzolana and pumice, this ‘Roman Concrete’ was more robust than existing alternatives and it’s composition forms the basis of modern concrete today. In fact, the reason that so many Roman structures still exist today is because they are constructed with innovative and super durable Roman Concrete.
Sewerage Systems Ensure Our Cities Remain Habitable
We take these for granted today, but poor sanitation and the dumping of raw sewage was thought to have played a big part in the rapid spread of the plague around London. Sewerage systems are a remarkable and life-saving invention for any era and while they did not invent them (the Etruscans did), it was the Romans who picked up the ball and ran with it, as the saying goes. The Roman republic popularised the Cloaca Maxima (Great Sewer) and led the way in developing increasingly complex underground sewerage systems. It is thought that such sewerage systems allowed the Romans to more safely grow their populations. Certainly, modern cities without sewerage would be inhospitable places.
Aqueducts
There is a pattern forming here in the fact that while the Roman’s set the future standard for the design and use of aqueducts (water transport systems) they were not the first historical civilisation to build and use aqueducts. What’s fascinating about the Roman aqueduct constructed of super durable roman concrete is that many of them still stand today and still supply water to Rome today. Apparently, 3 aqueducts in California still supply water over hundreds of miles to the Los Angeles Area.
Books
Now, the Romans have been shown to have actually invented the form of book that we know and love today. We take books for granted but prior to the digital age the paper book was perhaps the single most important item for the transfer and proliferation of information and knowledge throughout the entire world. Prior to this writing existed but was found on solid surfaces like a cave wall, slate or a clay tablet on paper like materials such as parchment and papyrus. While charming in their nature these forms of writing were not pragmatic. The Romans were the first to bond and encase documents into books, like we see today, allowing writing to be sturdier, more transportable and more secure.
The 12-month (Julian) Calendar
Most of us take the 12-month calendar completely for granted and probably don’t make any association with Romans. But you guessed it, this was a Roman invented too! It seems that these distant historical Roman inventions weave their way into many aspects of our modern lives. The 12-month calendar was derived in large part from the Julian Calendar which was commissioned by Julius Caesar, the famous Roman General and politician. It differed from the previous calendar in that it was a solar calendar broken into 12 months as opposed to a luni-solar calendar based on 10 months.
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I am a practising HR consultant working with several start-ups on an ongoing and ad-hoc basis in the London and M4 area, and am a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or CIPD. I am the Director of thecareercafe.co.uk; thecareercafe.co.uk is a resource for start-ups and small business. It includes a blog containing career advice, small business advice articles, HR software reviews, and contains great resources such as HR Productivity Apps.
