The ancient Romans were skilled engineers and have left lasting contributions in this field. The Romans built a great network of roads connecting cities throughout their empire. They also built aqueducts and bridges using arches for support. The Roman arch design was by far the most important innovation of their time. The arch, however, would have been useless without the discovery of concrete. The Romans had many other such discoveries that would make their engineering skills known throughout the world.The Romans discovered many things that would aid the construction of their great civilization. The Romans discovered that a particular mixture of volcanic rock rubble and water could be used to create very strong structures; their concrete mixture could even be used in underwater applications. The Romans used concrete to make foundations for large buildings as well as bridges. They also used concrete as mortar to hold together the stones that made up roads, walls, and bridges. The Romans discovery of concrete allowed them to build very large structures that have survived many centuries.The Romans also saw a need for well-planned cities. They used the same basic layout as they would for an army encampment. Water would flow into a cistern through the aqueducts to be dispersed in the cities plumbing. The cities were laid out in small sections, each section having its own fountain. The wealthy citizens would have also had hot and cold running water. The Romans also made sure that the streets could accommodate heavy traffic. By allowing for extra traffic the Roman army could move through a city more easily and it allowed for future expansion.The Roman army built many roads throughout Europe in order to move troops and supplies great distances with great reliability. Roman roads were made of stone held together by mortar. These roads were so well built that some of them are still in use by modern travelers. Romans knew that the shortest dist...
