Roman Engineering: Crash Course History of Science #6

The Romans developed a lot of infrastructure like roads and aqueducts to both help their cities flourish and to... you know... be better at war. But the interesting thing about Roman Engineering is how it was almost all focused on Techne and not Episteme. In this episode of Crash Course History of Science, Hank takes us down the road of road building, domes, and some really cool cement.

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[ze_rubenator]

All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

[jdnk]

Damn with those roads you could all it the Roamin' Empire

[kellysmith]

"Ironically, Flat Earth theory may have more proponents today"
He can't help but chuckle a lil bit.

[isbestlizard]

It's a shame 'concrete' was never a specific tech in the civilization games. Special effect: aqueduct, courthouse, colosseum, city walls, temple, library require 50% less resources to build.

[whatsinadeadname]

Fun linguistic fact: Epistemei (the verb form of episteme) translates directly into English as "I stand upon, " similar to the English, "understanding."

[jeffreybernath]

Thanks for bringing up that everyone knew the world was round. You missed an opportunity (either in this episode or the one on the Secratics) to mention a great knowledge-maker, Eratosthenes, who measured the circumference of the earth to within 1% of its actual value in the 3rd century B.C.E.

[gabrieloconitrillo]

One of my favorite all-time CC videos! I hate not having the time and memory to study and remember these things. The world is so fascinating, complex and interesting; and such little time. Cheers!

[hotdrippyglass]

Yet another excellent work by you and the team Hank. I can not express how good it feels to know that the future is in hands of young folks like you and your team. I can't wait for the next course.

[lucasmountain]

"Roman Engineering"
15 seconds in: *shows picture of Parthenon, the most prominent Greek temple*

[AuskaDezjArdamaath]

And yet, here in Quebec, we can’t get roads that last more than 5 years.

[zapermunz]

Hypatia was so cool! Also: Roma Invicta!

[wanderingrandomer]

The opening question actually resonates with me, it's something I've always struggled with myself. I am not a very practical person, and that's mostly because I spend so much time trying to figure out exactly how things work, that I forget to actually do something with them.

[Carofdoom]

This series is probably one of CrashCourse's greatest works. Nice work!

[bflybars]

Even in ancient times, Engineers were bad at naming things, aside from Historians who are terrible at naming events.

[camiloiribarren]

Wow! This is very interesting and fun to learn. I already knew Romans took plenty of knowledge from Greeks. Still they did plenty of amazing things

[LeoAngora]

Oh, my love for romance languages has increased... when you mentioned the cloaca maxima and then translated I thought "I don't need a translation, we have those same words in Spanish"

I had the idea (or misconception?) that the Archimedes water screw was actually invented by the Chinese.

[zacharyhenderson]

"In the natural world, engineering is knowing 'what;' science is finding out 'why'." -Z.G. Henderson

[pinkduke]

This script was one the best you have produced in years. It flowed, was poetic, as well as informative. A+

[ABelleHood]

I wish Crash Course was around when I was in high school. I might have wanted to go to school!

[Archer-]

arguably what made the Roman army superior to those it faced: magnificently constructed forts to hold entire legions that were created in hours. Half soldier-half construction worker