The South of France
The highlight of this trip to France was a journey to the south, where
many
Roman ruins remain--some of the best preserved examples of Roman
architecture
are actually in France, which was a Roman provence. Modern Nimes, for
example,
still has the best remains of a Roman temple and amphitheater.
Just
outside the city there is also the best preserved aqueduct from the
Roman
world, named the Pont du Gard (meaning "bridge of the River Gard").
Built in the 1st century BCE under the Emperor Augustus, the Pont du
Gard
is an aqueduct bridge which carried water from a spring to the city of
Nimes,
about 30 miles away. Extremely gifted engineers, the Romans used
gravity
flow to move the water, which meant the water must flow gradually and
consistently down
from the spring toward the city. Because the River Gard was in between
the
two, the Romans had to build a bridge over the river to carry the water
line
and had to elevate the water line to the top of the bridge to maintain
an
even and gradual decline of the pipes. The Romans succeeded, and the
aqueduct
brought in 100 gallons of water per person each day.
The aqueduct is constructed with the Roman arch, which became the
emblem of Rome. This
element of design was used consistently by the Romans in their
architectural
style, reminding everyone who saw their constructions that they were in
Roman territory. The Roman arch, then, was not just a practical
design feature; it was also an effective form of propaganda, reminding
everyone
of the power and presence of the Romans. As you travel throughout
the
remnants of the Roman world, you can still see arches standing
today--in
Italy, in France, in north Africa--wherever the Romans once had
control.