List of Roman dams

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of Roman dams . Despite the remarkable achievements of the Romans in dam construction, which need not fear comparison with their activities in aqueduct , bridge and road construction , this field has so far been relatively little researched.

The Cornalvo Dam in Spain from the 1st or 2nd century AD

The construction of dams was started by the Romans in the early imperial period . The majority of the buildings can be found in the semi-arid fringes of the empire , particularly in the North African and Near Eastern provinces and on the Iberian Peninsula . The high number of Spanish dams on the list is partly explained by the more intensive field research that has been carried out in that country. In the Italian core area , however, only one ancient dam complex is known, the Subiaco dams built by Emperor Nero (54–68 AD) for recreational purposeswhich are of particular interest due to their height , which was unmatched until the late Middle Ages .

The most common barriers were earth or stone dams and weight walls made of masonry. As in the times of the hydraulic societies of the Middle East, their functions were quite different and could include irrigation , flood protection , river diversion or the retention of fertile soil. Dams often served several of these purposes.

Roman dam construction stood out from its predecessors in particular because of the “ability of the Romans to plan and organize construction on a large scale”. This made it possible to build large reservoirs that could supply the connected cities with drinking water even in the dry season - a concept that is widespread today, but which had only rarely been used to date.

The invention of hydraulic mortar and especially concrete reduced the water permeability of Roman dams. The new building materials also created the possibility of building larger barriers, such as Lake Homs , possibly the largest dam in antiquity, or the Harbaqa Dam , both of which are made of concrete.

Overall, Roman master builders showed a high degree of innovation in dam construction. While barriers up to then only withstood water pressure because of their own weight, the Romans were the first to recognize the stabilizing effect of arches and supporting pillars in the wall bond. The new types of dams they introduced included:

Last but not least, the beginnings of combined dam and bridge construction , which were subsequently to be found frequently in Iran , go back to the forced labor of Roman prisoners of war (see Volume-e Kaisar ).

list

The dams are sorted according to their maximum height. All dimensions in meters ; If the values ​​differ, more recent or more detailed examinations are given preference. In the case of earth dams , the width refers to the masonry.

height width Crown
length 		Name of structure or place country Built Type / remark
50 13.5 1170? Subiaco dam Italy 54-68 Gravity dam . Designed as an artificial pleasure lake for Nero , the dam remained the highest in the Roman Empire , and in the entire world until it was destroyed in 1305.
34.0 38.0 1120.0 Almonacid de la Cuba dam Spain 1st century Gravity dam
28.0 26.0 1194.0 Cornalvo dam Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam , still in operation today
21.6 15.9 1427.8 Proserpina dam Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam , still in operation today
21st 1? 1365 Harbaqa dam Syria 2nd century Gravity dam
20.0 14.0? > 800.0 Alcantarilla dam Spain 1st century Gravity dam
16.6 16.9 1180.0 Dam of the Ermita de la Virgen del Pilar Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam
16 1? 1140 Orükaya Turkey 2nd century Arch weight wall
13.0 17.0? 1160.0 Muel Dam Spain 1st century Gravity dam
12 13.9 1118th Glanum Dam France 1st century BC Chr. Arch dam , first known
12 1? 1130 Solve Turkey 6th century Gravity dam
10 17.3 1150 Kasserine Dam Tunisia 2nd century Arch weight wall
18.4 12.7 1168.0 La Pared de los Moros Spain 3rd century Gravity dam
17.0 12.0 1150.0 Arroyo Salado Spain ? Gravity dam
17th 120th 2000 Lake of Homs Syria 3rd century Gravity dam, largest artificial reservoir to date (storage volume of 90 million m³), ​​still in operation today
17th 1? 1193 Ma'agan Micha'el (West) Israel 4th century Gravity dam
17th 1? 1180 Çavdarhisar Turkey 2nd century Arch weight wall
17th 1? 1150 Olisipo Portugal 2nd century Gravity dam
≈6.1 1? 11? Qasr Khubbaz Syria ? ?
16.0? 13.0 1150.0 Arévalo Spain 2nd century Gravity dam
15.6 12.2 1320.0 Esparragalejo dam Spain 1st century Multiple arch wall , first known
15.2 11.9 1195.0 Las Tomas Spain 4th century Pier dam
≈5 16th 1162 Muro da Prega Portugal ? ?
15 1? 1191 Wadi Megenin Libya 2nd century Pier dam
14.8 12.6 > 632.0 Consuegra dam Spain 3rd to 4th Century Pier dam
14.6 14.2 1174 Muro dam Portugal ? ?
14.5 12.7 1141.1 El Paredón Spain 3rd century Gravity dam
14.5 12.5 1119.5 Melque VI Spain ? Gravity dam
> 4.0 11.0 1102.0 Lower Iturranduz Dam Spain 2nd century Pier dam
14.0 15.6 1100.0 La Pesquera Spain ? Gravity dam
14th 1? 1300 Böget Turkey 2nd century Gravity dam
13.7 11.8 1139.0 Araya Spain 2nd century Pier dam
13.6 13.5 1197.8 Vega de Sta. Maria Spain ? Pier dam
13.5 12.0 1140.0 Arroyo Bejarano Spain 1st century Gravity dam
> 3.0 13.0 1170.0 Charca de Valverde Spain ? Gravity dam
13.0 13.4 1200.0 Las Muelas Spain 2nd century Pier dam
13.0 13.0? 1129.0 Azud de la Rechuela Spain ? Pier dam
13.0 12.3 1130.0 Les Parets Antiques Spain 3rd to 4th Century Gravity dam
13.0 12.2 1150.0 Villafranca Spain 2-3 Century Pier dam
13.0 11.8 1198.0 Mesa de Valhermoso Spain 2-3 Century Gravity dam
13.0 11.5 1130.0 Bayuela Castle Spain 2-3 Century Pier dam
13.0? 1? 11? San Martín de la Montiña Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam
12.5 15.0 1100.0 Cañada del Huevo Spain 2nd century Pier dam
12.5 11.5 1125.0 Pineda o Ca'La Verda Spain 3rd century Gravity dam
12.4 11.2 1180.0 Paerón I Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam
12.2 11.0 1115.0 Palomera Baja Spain 3rd century Gravity dam
12.2? 11.0? 1130.0? El Peral Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam
12.1 11.9 1140.8 Moracantá Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam
> 2.0 12.5 1180.0 Los Paredones Spain 1st – 2nd Century Gravity dam
> 2.0 10.8 1152.0-180? La Cuba Spain 2-3 Century Gravity dam
12 10-12 1516 Band-e Kaisar Iran 3rd century Gravity dam , first dam bridge ( dam with arch bridge )
12.0 11.0 1156.0 Puy Foradado Dam Spain 2-3 Century Arch weight wall
11.8 11.6 1181 Cuba dam Portugal ? Gravity dam
11.6 1? 11? Las Mezquitas Spain 2nd century Gravity dam
> 1.5 11.1 1130.0 Paerón II Spain 1st – 2nd Century Pier dam
11.5 10.8 1135.0 El Pont d'Armentera Spain 2-4 Century Gravity dam
11.3 11.6 1230.0 El Hinojal (Las Tiendas) Spain 3rd to 4th Century Pier dam
11.3 11.4 1114.7 El Argamasón Spain 2-3 Century Gravity dam
11.2 12.4 1130.0 Balsa de Cañaveral Spain 4th century Gravity dam
11.1 10.7 1113.4 Río Frío Spain 1st century Gravity dam
11 11 1≈56 Monte Novo do Castelinho Portugal 2nd century ?
> 0.9 10.7 1117.6 El Peral II Spain ? Pier dam
10.9 10.7 1140.0 Azud de los Moros Spain 1st century Gravity dam
> 0.8 11.6 1160.0-80.0 Valencia del Ventoso Spain 3rd to 4th Century Gravity dam
> 0.8 11.1 1150.0 El Chaparral Spain 3rd to 4th Century Gravity dam
1? 10.7 1150.0 Upper Iturranduz Dam Spain 3rd to 4th Century Pier dam
1? 1? 1900 Leptis Magna (Wadi Caam II) Libya 2-3 Century? ?
1? 1? 11? Leptis Magna (Wadi Caam I) Libya 2-3 Century? ?
1? 1? 11? Leptis Magna (Wadi Lebda) Libya 2-3 Century? Pillar-supported wall
1? 1? 11? Las Adelfas Spain 2nd century Gravity dam
1? 1? 11? Monroy Spain ? Gravity dam
1? 1? 11? Odrón y Linares Spain ? Gravity dam
1? 1? 11? Soufeiye Syria ? Gravity dam
1? 1? 11? Dara dam Turkey 560 Arch dam , first description of the arching effect in dam construction by Prokop ( De Aedificiis II.3)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Smith (1971), pp. 25f.
  2. ↑ Hodge (1992), p. 80; Hodge (2000), p. 331
  3. ↑ a b c Hodge (1992), p. 87
  4. ↑ Schnitter (1978), p. 28, fig. 7; Hodge (1992), p. 80; Hodge (2000), p. 332
  5. ↑ Smith (1970), pp. 60f .; Hodge (1992), p. 87
  6. ↑ Hodge (2000), pp. 331f.
  7. ↑ Hodge (1992), pp. 86f.
  8. ↑ a b c d Smith (1971), p. 49
  9. ↑ Smith (1971), p. 49; Hodge (1992), pp. 79f.
  10. ↑ a b Smith (1971), p. 42
  11. ↑ Hodge (2000), p. 332; James & Chanson (2002)
  12. ↑ a b Smith (1971), pp. 33-35; Schnitter (1978), p. 31f .; Schnitter (1987a), p. 12; Schnitter (1987c), p. 80; Hodge (2000), p. 332, fn. 2
  13. ↑ Schnitter (1987b), pp. 59-62
  14. ↑ a b Schnitter (1978), p. 29; Schnitter (1987b), p. 60, Tab. 1, 62; James & Chanson (2002); Arenillas & Castillo (2003)
  15. ↑ a b Vogel (1987), p. 50
  16. ↑ Hodge (1992), p. 82, tab. 39; Width at the crown: Smith (1970), p. 61
  17. ↑ Smith (1970), pp. 60f .; Smith (1971), p. 26; Schnitter (1978), p. 28
  18. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az Arenillas & Castillo (2003)
  19. ↑ Schnitter (1978), p. 31
  20. ↑ a b c d Schnitter (1987a), p. 12
  21. ↑ a b c James & Chanson (2002)
  22. ↑ Schnitter (1978), p. 31f.
  23. ↑ a b Schnitter (1987a), p. 13
  24. ↑ Smith (1971), pp. 35f.
  25. ↑ Schnitter (1978), p. 31; Dicke: Hodge (1992), p. 91
  26. ↑ Schnitter (1987a), p. 12; Schnitter (1987b), p. 60, tab. 1
  27. ↑ Smith (1971), p. 39
  28. ↑ Schnitter (1987b), p. 60, tab. 1
  29. ↑ Decker (1991), p. 78f.
  30. ↑ Schnitter (1987a), p. 13; Hodge (2000), pp. 337f.
  31. ↑ a b Smith (1971), p. 37
  32. ^ Smith (1971), p. 36
  33. ↑ Smith (1971), pp. 53f .; Schnitter (1978), p. 32; Schnitter (1987a), p. 13; Schnitter (1987c), p. 80; Hodge (1992), p. 92; Hodge (2000), p. 332, fn. 2

literature

  • Arenillas, Miguel; Castillo, Juan C .: Dams from the Roman Era in Spain. Analysis of Design Forms (with appendix) , in: Santiago Huerta (Ed.): Proceedings of the First International Congress on Construction History: Madrid, 20th – 24th January 2003 , Instituto Juan de Herrera, Madrid 2003, ISBN 84-9728-070 -9
  • Decker, Alexander: Some Roman dams in today's Portugal , in: Günther Garbrecht (Ed.): Historische Talsperren , Volume 2, Stuttgart 1991, Konrad Wittwer Verlag, ISBN 3-87919-158-1 , pp. 73-81 (No. 4)
  • Hodge, A. Trevor: Roman Aqueducts & Water Supply , Duckworth, London 1992, ISBN 0-7156-2194-7
  • Hodge, A. Trevor: Reservoirs and Dams , in: Örjan Wikander (Ed.): Handbook of Ancient Water Technology, Technology and Change in History , Vol. 2, Brill Verlag, Leiden 2000, pp. 331–339, ISBN 90- 04-11123-9
  • James, Patrick, Chanson, Hubert: Historical Development of Arch Dams. From Roman Arch Dams to Modern Concrete Designs , in: Australian Civil Engineering Transactions , Vol. CE43 (2002), pp. 39–56
  • Schnitter, Niklaus: Römische Talsperren , in: Antike Welt , Vol. 8, No. 2 (1978), pp. 25–32
  • Schnitter, Niklaus: Directory of historical dams up to the end of the 17th century , in: Günther Garbrecht (Hrsg.): Historische Talsperren , Verlag Konrad Wittwer, Stuttgart 1987a, pp. 9-20, ISBN 3-87919-145-X
  • Schnitter, Niklaus: The history of the development of the pier dam , in: Günther Garbrecht (Hrsg.): Historische Talsperren , Verlag Konrad Wittwer, Stuttgart 1987b, pp. 57–74, ISBN 3-87919-145-X
  • Schnitter, Niklaus: The history of the development of the arch dam , in: Günther Garbrecht (Hrsg.): Historische Talsperren , Verlag Konrad Wittwer, Stuttgart 1987c, pp. 75–96, ISBN 3-87919-145-X
  • Smith, Norman: The Roman Dams of Subiaco , in: Technology and Culture , Vol. 11, No. 1 (1970), pp. 58-68
  • Smith, Norman: A History of Dams , Peter Davies, London 1971, ISBN 0-432-15090-0
  • Vogel, Alexius: The historical development of the wall of weights , in: Günther Garbrecht (Hrsg.): Historische Talsperren , Verlag Konrad Wittwer, Stuttgart 1987, pp. 47–56, ISBN 3-87919-145-X
  • Döring, Mathias: The "Iron Gate" of Antioch / Turkey - Roman aqueduct bridge, city wall and dam. In: Archäologie der Brücken, Verlag Pustet, Regensburg 2011, pp. 67–72, ISBN 978-3-7917-2331-0

See also

Web links

Commons : Roman Dams  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files