Tag: the classical world

The Romans started making concrete more than 2,000 years ago. In the later Roman eras, it was re-discovered that adding volcanic ash to the mix allowed it to set underwater. They had a different formula, which resulted in a substance that was not as strong as the modern product. Yet structures like the Pantheon and the Colosseum have survived for centuries, often with little to no maintenance. Geologists, archaeologists and engineers are studying the properties of ancient Roman concrete to solve the mystery of its longevity.

The Silk Road is a historically important international trade route between China and the Mediterranean. Because China silk comprised a large proportion of the trade along this ancient road, in 1877, it was named the 'Silk Road' by Ferdinand von Richthofen, an eminent German geographer.

Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, including Roman Military Jurisdiction and the legal developments spanning over a thousand years of jurisprudence. Initially, Roman Law was only studied by scholars and taught at the universities, Bologna being the first place where Roman Law was taught. Soon Roman Law came to be applied in legal practice especially in the area of civil law. This process of readoption of Roman Law occurred at varied times and to various extents across all of Europe. Thus from about the 16th century onward, Roman Law was in force throughout most of Europe. However, in the process of adoption many Roman rules were amalgamated with, or amended to suit, the legal norms of the various European nations.

Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile, flowing west from Ethiopia. The Nile has two major tributaries, the White Nile and Blue Nile. The White Nile is considered to be the headwaters and primary stream of the Nile itself. The Blue Nile, however, is the source of most of the water and silt. The two rivers meet just north of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.

Rome is called the Eternal City because ancient Romans believed that no matter what happened to the world or how many empires came and collapsed, Rome would go on forever. The enduring quality of the city continues even to this day, as Rome remains one of the most vibrant cities and a leading tourist destination in Europe

The most important contribution of the ancient Romans was in the field of Roman Law or Politics, including the law that states a person is innocent until proven guilty, and propaganda campaigns including coinage with the current emperor's picture on it, to remind everyone who was in charge of the empire.

The Roman Empire was formally divided into two halves by Diocletian. By 286 CE, the Roman Empire, which was in the midst of an economic crisis, had grown too large to be effectively governed in a single location by a single leader. To remedy this situation, Diocletian divided the empire in two.