Roman bridge

A bridge built by Roman engineers, commonly using stone arches to cross rivers, ravines, and valleys. Many combined durable masonry with roads, aqueducts, or other infrastructure.

Arch bridge: A bridge that carries loads primarily through curved arches transmitting compression to their supports. Roman engineers used arch action to span gaps with stone, a material strong in compression.
Pons Fabricius: A stone bridge over the Tiber in Rome, completed in 62 BCE and still in use. Its surviving arches demonstrate the durability of a Roman urban river crossing.
Roman cofferdam: A temporary watertight enclosure used to create a dry working area in or beside water. Cofferdams let builders excavate and construct bridge foundations within river channels.
Roman Republic: The period of Roman government from the traditional founding of the Republic in 509 BCE to Augustus's rise in 27 BCE. Road and bridge building expanded as republican Rome extended its territory.
Voussoir: A wedge-shaped stone block forming part of an arch or vault. Precisely fitted voussoirs transferred compression across Roman bridge arches.
Alcántara Bridge: A Roman stone arch bridge over the Tagus River in Spain, built under Emperor Trajan. Its large arches and dedicatory inscription preserve evidence of imperial bridge construction.
Roman road: A durable route built by Roman authorities to connect settlements, military sites, and territories. Bridges carried roads across obstacles, preserving the continuity of overland routes.
Appian Way: A Roman road begun in 312 BCE that connected Rome with southern Italy. Its route and extensions made durable bridges necessary for reliable long-distance travel.
Keystone: The central, uppermost stone that locks an arch's voussoirs into place. The keystone completed the arch, allowing it to support itself after temporary centering was removed.
Pont du Gard: A Roman aqueduct bridge in southern France that carried water across the Gardon River valley. Its stacked arcades show how bridge-like structures served water supply as well as transport.

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