Roman Bridge Arch Completed

 

Completed Roman Bridge.

Roman Bridge Construction #3

 

This is Plate #3 showing the final construction of the bridge piers and arches.

Caesar's Bridge

 

This is one view of "Caesar's Bridge" that the legions built across the Rhenus (Rhine) River. It was built for the purpose of putting the Roman Army across the river to show the Germanic Tribes that it could be done by the Romans. Two weeks after it was built, the army recrossed the bridge and then destroyed it.

Legio III "Cyrenaica" Campground, Wells, ME

 

This is sketch-map of the Legio III "Cyrenaica" encampment just outside of Wells, Maine.

Roman Road network from Rome in the central portion of Italy

 

This map shows the main highways leading from Rome.
The roads were long in use after the Empire had fallen into disarray and at least one of the roads is still in use.

Roads Leading from Rome

 

It is thought that this map is a reproduction of an original Roman map. This is the portion showing Rome and the roads leading from and to it called the Peutinger Map, which was reproduced by literary monks some time during the dark ages.

Legio III "Cyrenaica" Campground, Webster, MA

 

This is a sketch-map of the Legio III "Cyrenaica" encampment in Webster, Mass.

Tagus River Bridge

 

This is a very good drawing of a large stone Roman bridge is being constructed.

Roman Single Arch Bridge

 

This is a Roman Single Arch Bridge that was drawn from an actual Roman Bridge found in Andalucia, Spain, in a farmer's field. The modern road bypasses the bridge, but it is still used by the farmer. This bridge is found on the highway between Puerto de Santa Maria, and Jerez de la Frontera.

Britannia - 75 A. D.

 

This is a map, drawn on papyrus, of Britannia in 75 AD.

Germania - 81 A.D/

 

This map, which was drawn on papyrus, is a map of Germania in 81 AD.

Roman Road -Dubris (Dover) to Londinium

 

This map is an excellent example of Roman Road building. Since the land on which the roadway was constructed is flat land, it is assumed that Roman Engineers built towers to sight the road's length in order to maintain the long stretches of straightaway. The four places along the road which deviate from straight lines is either a steep hill, river, or a marsh. So Roman roads did deviate from straight lines when it was necessary to do so. And it is very likely that they used towers to lay a straight line over long distances.

Roman Bridge Construction - Plate #2

 

In this first sketch the bridge piling is now taking shape. Note the heavy duty slave-powered crane used to lift the rubble and outside stone blocks to form the core and outside sleeve of the bridge pier. The center of the pier is formed of stone rubble laid in layers with a fitted stone outside and in the middle to hold it together. This core rests within the heavy log crib structure driven into the river bottom, inside the caisson.

In the second sketch the pier is almost finished with the pointed edge of the pier on the upstream side of the bridge, A smaller section of stone still needs to be placed on top of the bridge pier. The wooden structure sitting on the pontoon bridge next to the pier is one of the several arch supports that will be used to form the bridge arch between two piers.

Roman Bridge Construction - Plate #1

 

In the above drawing the first sketch is indicative of a timber caisson which is set in the river bottom, made watertight with mud and clay and then vacated of the water in the caisson. In the second sketch, a primitive slave-operated pile-driver drives piles (posts) into the river bottom to support a timber crib which will support one of the major bridge pilings. Note the pontoon bridge beside the work stations which is used to transport men and machines to the work areas across the length of the bridge under construction.

Roman Bridge

 

The picture is a part of a Roman Bridge showing the wooden timbered arch between two stone pillars. Coming will be some drawings showing the procedure for laying a bridge of this kind and building it from scratch.

Legio III "Cyrenaica" Campground

 

Legio III campground at Grey's Beach, Kingston,
Massachusetts showing the triangular marching
camp and anchorage for cargo resupply vessels.

Roman Celtica -- Narbonenaia

 

This is a map which shows the major rivers, trails /roads, boundaries, battles, of the area under consideration.

Townhouse Villa

 

This view is the front of the villa which fronts on the street with a narrow walkway.

Townhouse Villa

 

This is a view of the rear of the villa.

Townhouse Villa

 

This is the right hand side of the villa, showing the rooftop.

Townhouse Villa

 

This is a view of the left side of the villa, showing the roof from above.

Townhouse Villa

 

This view of the villa is of the roof from directly over it.

Townhouse Villa

The Townhouse Villa roof has been finished after some redesign and construction work. The villa has been painted and is now ready for occupation. My Matre De has acquired a suitable house staff and they have been cleaning the villa for the last few days. Tomorrow, the staff will hire a couple of wagons and transfer most of my goods from the waterfront apartment to the villa. I will maintain a smaller apartment at the docks for business purposes, but will actually be living in the villa from now on.

Pictures of the completed villa will follow this message as soon as I can arrange such.

I have finally decided upon a design for the "Seaside" Villa and I have drawn it out in a rough sketch. As soon as a finished drawing has been made of it by the scribes who have undertaken to convert my rough scratches into plans for the villa, then I will put those on this list.

My investments in a new apartment building in Rome are looking good. The building has just been finished and already there are thirty-six families who have rented apartments in the complex. This apartment complex replaces the one which burned six months ago, and is located on the outskirts of Rome. Almost all of the families who were in the original building and survived the fire have returned. I have taken some precautions to reduce the chance of such a conflagration again. I have paid a fee to insure the night watch will pass by the apartment complex regularly, and have contributed to the local fire prevention group to acquire some further equipment which was a real problem that contributed to the loss of the original building.

The two grain freighters "Orpheus " and "Luna" are being made ready for an early voyage to Africa in the Spring, and the Rustic Villa farm which I visited last week has so far this year put away in storage some fifty-two large jars of garum, which will go with "Orpheus" and "Luna" to Alexandria as soon as the storm season on the seas are over. Some twenty jars of wine and thirty large jars of olive oil will also go with the garum, to my company representative in Alexandria.

The exploring ship that I am having constructed is coming along slowly but surely. The problem all along has been the acquisition and delivery of suitable shipbuilding materials to the shipyard, good quality ship lumber for the most part. So, I have hired a new overseer for that project who is himself a ship-master and perhaps that will serve to hurry the construction along. Last week we had received the rope and blocks needed for the ships rigging, and the sail loft assures me that the sails I have ordered will be ready in the spring.

Log Road / Bridge, End View

 

Log Road / Bridge

 

This is a log road made from heavy timbers or split tree trunks resting crossways on heavy timbers / logs laid on a marshy base. As you can see most of the bridge is constructed of split logs, however one section is made of heavy beams, perhaps garnered from a nearby wooden building. This kind of structure is a temporary road used to cross marshy areas that would otherwise bog down wagons, horses and foot soldiers. The small stream in the center of the bridge uses stones to support the bridge portions of the road.

Pontoon Bridge, End View