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The Roman Bridge at Saint-Thibéry (french: Pont romain de Saint-Thibéry) was a
The ancient bridge had nine arches with spans of 10–12 m. The roadway rested on wide piers, which were protected on both sides by arched floodways and large cutwaters. The original length of the structure is estimated as , its road width as 4 m. The missing spans are known to have been destroyed by a flood some time before 1536.
The remaining arches, with a span to rise ratio of 3.3:1 (115°) or more, show a visibly flatter profile than the semi-circular arches usually preferred by Roman engineers (180°). The rib thickness varies between one-tenth to one-twentieth of the span, corresponding to a common ratio also observed at a number of other Roman stone bridges. The structure is dated to the reign of emperor
Traianus
– Technical investigation of Roman public works {{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Bridge (Saint-Thibery) Roman bridges in France Roman segmental arch bridges Deck arch bridges Stone bridges in France Buildings and structures in Hérault Transport in Occitania (administrative region) Tourist attractions in Hérault
Roman bridge
The ancient Romans were the first civilization to build large, permanent bridges. Early Roman bridges used techniques introduced by Etruscan immigrants, but the Romans improved those skills, developing and enhancing methods such as arches and ke ...
on the Via Domitia
The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and tr ...
in southern France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. The partly surviving structure crossed the river Hérault
Hérault (; oc, Erau, ) is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault River, its prefecture is Montpellier. It had a population of 1,175,623 in 2019.Saint-Thibéry
Saint-Thibéry (; oc, Sant Tibèri) is a commune in the Hérault ''département'' in the Occitanie region in southern France.
The village of Saint-Thibéry is built at the confluence of the Rivers Thongue and Hérault. The old Roman road "Via Do ...
, east of Béziers
Béziers (; oc, Besièrs) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Every August Béziers hos ...
.
Construction
The ancient bridge had nine arches with spans of 10–12 m. The roadway rested on wide piers, which were protected on both sides by arched floodways and large cutwaters. The original length of the structure is estimated as , its road width as 4 m. The missing spans are known to have been destroyed by a flood some time before 1536.
The remaining arches, with a span to rise ratio of 3.3:1 (115°) or more, show a visibly flatter profile than the semi-circular arches usually preferred by Roman engineers (180°). The rib thickness varies between one-tenth to one-twentieth of the span, corresponding to a common ratio also observed at a number of other Roman stone bridges. The structure is dated to the reign of emperor Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
(). Immediately upstream an old water mill
A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production o ...
and its millrace is located.
See also
*List of Roman bridges
This is a list of Roman bridges. The Romans were the world's first major bridge builders. The following list constitutes an attempt to list all known surviving remains of Roman bridges.
A Roman bridge in the sense of this article includes an ...
* Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural style. The two styles are often considered on ...
* Roman engineering
The ancient Romans were famous for their advanced engineering accomplishments. Technology for bringing running water into cities was developed in the east, but transformed by the Romans into a technology inconceivable in Greece. The architecture ...
References
Sources
*External links
*Traianus
– Technical investigation of Roman public works {{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Bridge (Saint-Thibery) Roman bridges in France Roman segmental arch bridges Deck arch bridges Stone bridges in France Buildings and structures in Hérault Transport in Occitania (administrative region) Tourist attractions in Hérault