Th e Far Side of the Bridge: Eastern Perspectives on Roman Bridge Technology

Year 2019, Issue: 9, 75 - 90, 01.01.2019

Diane Favro

Abstract

Th e Roman army deployed bridges for both the movement of troops and for propaganda. Erected quickly and effi ciently, such structures demonstrated Roman technological and logistical expertise, shocking and impressing enemies at the edges of the empire. Narratives about bridge building have long emphasized the Roman perspectives about architectural production. Th is article explores the view from the far side of the bridge by considering complex Eastern attitudes toward Roman bridge engineering and technology transfer in two specifi c examples. In one the Parthians used bridge building to humiliate defeated Romans and debase their achievements. In the other the Sasanians acquired bridge technology by transferring Romans, tasking relocated captives with building bridges in distant territories

Keywords

Roman architecture, bridge construction, Septimius Severus, Romanization, Parthians, Sasanians

Th e Far Side of the Bridge: Eastern Perspectives on Roman Bridge Technology

Abstract

Roma ordusu köprüleri hem askeri birliklerin intikali, hem de propaganda amaçlı olarak kullanmıştır. Etkin ve hızlı kurulumları gerçekleştirilen bu yapılar Roma teknolojisinin ve lojistik becerisini yansıtmakta, imparatorluğun sınır boylarında düşmanı korkutmakta ve etkilemektedir. Köprü yapımı konusunda bilinenler, mimari yapıların oluşturulmasındaki Roma yaklaşımını da vurgulamaktadır. Bu çalışmada iki ayrı örnekten yola çıkılarak Roma köprü mühendisliği konusundaki Doğulu düşünceler incelenmekte, konu ile ilgili “öteki tarafın” bakış açısına yer verilmektedir. Bunlardan ilki, Partların yenilgiye uğramış Romalıları aşağılamak ve onların kazandıkları başarıların değerini düşürmek amacıyla köprüyü kullanmalarıdır. Diğer örnek ise Sasanilerin uzak diyarlarda köprü inşa etmek üzere Romalı esirleri görevlendirerek, köprü teknolojisini kullanmalarıdır

Keywords

Roma mimarisi, köprü inşaatı, Septimius Severus, Romalılaşma, Partlar, Sasaniler

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