Rome truly is the climax of design in terms of pre-modernism. Of course, evidence suggest Chinese and Minoan peoples were doing modernist techniques long before even the beginning of Greek civilization, it is still true that Rome did magnificent things.
Indeed, one can call their entire empire, and its whole span, an enormous anomaly.
I'm sure you all know that the formula for cement was forgotten before its rediscovery in the 1900s. That is why so many people loved Roman design. To the post-Roman peoples of Europe, the Romans really did have some amazingly technology only answerable to some sort of "higher people" with simply more evolved views.
This is just to remind you. Sometimes it is just as simple as the fact we have forgotten what they did. Truly, Roman concrete was amazing crafting chemical
Just to try and grasp their glory, I will try toonly post recreations of it. No ruins to ruin the beauty.
Remember, all at least 1.5 thousand years old
Sewer system
It was also about this time in the mid-7th century BC that the Etruscan kings conquered Rome and ruled it for 150 years. They were the first to build in a monumental way on the Capitoline Hill, a small but steep prominence surrounded by the six other hills. It was at the northern end of the valley that would become the Forum Romanum. (Figure 3.009) Their reign spanned the 6th century. During this time, the Latin town, which was actually 3.007: Rome in the imperial era 3.008: archaic Rome 5 a conglomeration of small villages, was gradually transformed into a real city along Etruscan lines. It was under the new kings that, according to tradition, the first public works such as the walls of the Capitoline hill and the Cloaca Maxima were constructed. The Cloaca Maxima or Great Drain is a sewer that drains all the waste from the Forum Romanum into the Tiber.It is still functioning.
Also,
It wasn't until recently that we ever changed the traditional structure. Take a look. Over a thousand years old. Much different than a traditional street corner?
Mass elevating structures are well more amazing than massive pyramids.
Ponder it. How many structures in the modern era are this cool?
And the mighty Pantheon. Absolutely amazing. Up until the early 1900s, it was the largest dome in the world.
And of course, how different is this from our modern palaces and malls?
Finally, a star observatory ( I think.) It was a theater definably.
-Forums of Rome, Hadrian's villa, several other famous buildings, Pantheon. BTA1+2
As you can see. Rome was mighty and an apex of civilization.
When Rome fell, Earth would not see as mighty a civilization until the 1900s, when the US took the premiere world power stage in WW1. For example, medical skills were not as good as Rome until WW1.
To quote the Romans:
"A person should put aside some part of the day for the care of his body. He should always make sure that he gets enough exercise especially before a meal." Celsus.
THIS is amazing:
"When building a house or farm especial care should be taken to place it at the foot of a wooded hill where it is exposed to health-giving winds. Care should be taken where there are swamps in the neighbourhood, because certain tiny creatures which cannot be seen by the eyes breed there. These float through the air and enter the body by the mouth and nose and cause serious disease." Marcus Varro.
"We must take great care in searching for springs and, in selecting them, keeping in mind the health of the people." Vitruvius, a Roman architect.
Frontinus
"Compare such important engineering works carrying so much water with the idle pyramids and the useless though famous buildings of the Greeks."
"Water is brought into the city through aqueducts in such quantities that it is like a river flowing through the city. Almost every house has cisterns and water pipes and fountains." Strabo, a Greek geographer.
Surgery: The surgery of ancient Rome set an early example for surgery of modern times offering a model to improve upon. Roman surgery was very strict as to the position that the surgeon had to be in.
When in a sitting position, the surgeon's: knees were slightly separated and above the groin
elbows were never to pass the front of the knees or go behind the chest
two hands were to be used at all times
hands never were to be over the breast
forearms were to be kept at right angles to the arms
When standing all of the above were kept the same with the addition of both feet needing to stay level on the ground at all times.
Romans were amazing. bare in mind. Over a thousand years old
Even brain surgery. Absolutely great people. Here's a replication in HBO's Rome.
This scene from Rome, the recent ancient drama, depicts the medical procedure of trephination. A hole is cut in the bone to relieve pressure. Amazingly enough, many people survived this surgery, and was in common use up until the early 19th Century.
[edit on 13-6-2010 by Gorman91]
[edit on 13-6-2010 by Gorman91]
[edit on 13-6-2010 by Gorman91]
. I live with
it. I don't have a secret. I just study history to learn the future. I love the patterns of history. 
