Page 82 - How It Works - Book of Amazing Answers To Curious Questions, 12

� AMAZIG ANSWERS TO CURIOUS QUESTIONS ------------------

Gates
The Romans would build four
gates at each side of the fort.
They consisted of large,
recessed doors made of
thick, strong timber.

What did

Roman f Ort

lool< lil<e?

Discover how the Roman invaders constructed their
many strongholds around Britain

hen the Romans invaded Britain, they placing mortar and stone in large wooden frames, undertaken by soldiers. Officers known as
monopolised native strongholds. As and the result was a facing that has endured metatores were sent to mark out the ground for an
W time passed, they built base camps centuries. Opus caementicium was regarded as encampment, using a graduated measuring rod
that allowed their armies to travel safely through an innovative discovery, enabling the Romans to known as a decempeda. Each fort was erected
the country. At first they fortified these camps create complex structures such as the arch and with a wide ditch, and also included a stockade or
with timber, then from the 2nd Century AD they the dome. defensive barrier made of timber posts or stone.
used stone. The Romans were expert builders Engineers built their forts on modified terrain The Romans used the residue earth from the
and had perfected the art of masonry by creating -often choosing the summit or the side of a low ditch to create a rampart. While tradition dictated
a revolutionary new material that was known as hill, near a river or stream. Roman strongholds that each fort had four stone gateways, it was
'opus caementicium' -a concrete made of rock, were built by a specialist corp that included a equipped with watchtowers that could reach an
rubble or ceramic tiles. Walls were built by chief engineer; much of the manual work was impressive nine metres (30 feet) high.

82 How It TtOrks WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net