Pont Julien

Pont Julien
Roman Bridge dating from the Third Century BC
Vaucluse, Provence, France

This bridge was located on the Domitian Way which connected Narbonne to Torino.
It is located 8 km West of the little town of Apt, then called "Apta Colonia Julia,"
which gave its name to the bridge.  The bridge consists of three arches,  The central
arch is taller and wider than the other two arches.  It has a range of 46 meters,  In the
pillars, canalisations serve to facilitate the evacuation of water during floods.  Upstream,
the pillars are protected from tree trunks, carried by the current, by cutwaters which
formerly had a semicircular shape.  The construction of the bridge is made up of
large blocks of limestone quarried from the Luberon Mountains.  The length of the
 bridge is 80 meters in length, 6 meters wide, and at its maximum hieght is 11.50
meters.

Since 2005, a new bridge was built 500 meters further East, to relieve the ancient
Roman bridge after 2000 + years of continuous service!

Calavon is a small river, over which the bridge was built, which is often almost dry,
but whose current can suddenly become very important, especially during heavy rainfalls.
Just upstream are the narrow gorges and castle of Roquefure (private).  The Pont Julien
served as a link to collecting the some eight communities of, Vaucluse, Bonnieux, Goult,
Lacoste, Lioux, Menerbes, Walls, Roussillion, and St. Pantaleon.

Scarborough Roman Signal Station

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Scarborough Roman Signal Station

Scarborough Roman Signal Station
The remains of signal stations have been found at Huntcliff, Goldsborough,
Ravenscar, Scarborough, and Filey.  A sixth was likely at Flamborough Head
 because four of the other signal stations could be viewed from that location.

In AD 383 these stations were built like smallforts.  Each had for its defense a
ditch, stone wall complete with corner towers.  The watch tower approximately
20 meters in hieght with a fire pit and beacon fire ready to light stood in the
center of the walled enclosure.

Note 1-- The Northeasternportion of the signal station (above) has been lost
to cliff erosion over the many years;

Note 2-- The Roman Inscription carved into a rock at the Ravenscar site reads;
"IUSTINIANUSPP
VINDIDANUS
MASBIERIURR
MCASIRUMEFOATO"
One translation of this above text records that Justinianus, the Commander, and
Vindicianus, the Magister, constructed the tower (burgus).

How these forts and their beacon fires operated is a mystery.  They may have
been used to send a signal inland to the cavalry fort at Derventio (Malton)
which might then dispatch a rapid reaction force.  Alternatively, the
beacons may only have signalled a warning to local settlements inland.
One theory is that signals passed along the coast to warn ships of the Roman
 Fleet docked along the Holderness coast or in the Humber estuary.
Perhaps all these theories are correct and the signal stations could serve
several purposes at once.  The garrisons for these signal stations was small,
but seem to have been purely military.  The fortifications were certainly
significant enough, and must have easily deterred Saxon raiders from besieging
and disabling them.

Reference: P. Elliott, "The Last Legionary,.....," Spellmount, Gloucester, G.B., 2007

     

Roman Warship "Imperator" -- Top View

Roman Warship "Imperator"

The Roman Warship "Imperator" is now under construction at a shipbuilding yard along the Rhine River in Germania.  The Trireme will be the "mother ship" for three fast-moving smaller armed vessels, the four ships making up the Rhine River Pirate Patrol Command.  The Pirate Patrol Command will patrol the extensive shallows at the mouth of the Rhine River as well as along its length so far as is navigable.  The story "Rhine River Patrol"  is a story of the political and social situations related to the construction of these vessels.  The construction of these vessels is going slowly as materials for this effort are being brought in from distant ports of call.
Respectfully Submitted
Marcus Audens

Ballistae and Mantlet (more detailed)

Here you can see the large arrow that is ready to launch.  The Mantlet in this case is protecting both the operating crew as well as the weapon itself from attack.

Catapult and Two Mantlets (more details)

This is a more detailed view of the Catapult and the two covering Mantlets that protect the men and machine from the besieged attackers.
Note the ball of stone in the "throwing pan" of the catapult.

Ballistae and protecting Mantlet

The Ballistae is designed to be able to raise or lower it's aiming point, and it can shoot large arrows or medium sized rock balls.  Smaller Ballistae are nick-named "scorpions."  These would be used against armed enemy trops, and could easiy put a stout arrow through a shield or a body.  The Mantlet is utilized to protect the men working the Ballistae.