Rome was able to control a vast empire thanks to its military success. According to Bee Breeders, organizer of an architecture competition, Roman architecture reached its peak during the Pax Romana period, a period in which the Roman Empire neither expanded nor was invaded, and which lasted over 200 years. One of the Roman inventions of that period is a bow. An arch is a curved structure usually made of stone, brick, concrete or steel. Its purpose is to support or strengthen a building or structure. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "most arches are made of wedge-shaped blocks." Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The center stone at the top, called the capstone, is the last block to insert. During construction, arches are often supported by a wooden frame. When the frame is removed, both sides of the arch press against the keystone and thus support the arch. Was a bow first used by the Romans? The Romans were not the first men to invent a bow. As stated by Empire Rome.com, "The Romans were great innovators and quickly adopted new building techniques, used new materials, and uniquely combined existing techniques with creative design to produce a whole range of new architectural structures." used since prehistoric countries, such as ancient Egypt, Babylon and Greece. However, the purpose of the arch in these cultures was limited to supporting small structures, such as warehouses. Therefore, these people often used columns to support roofs. This design limited the size and area of ​​a building. As a result, extremely large palaces or government buildings could not be built. The ancient Romans created a bow that could support enormous amounts of weight. How did the Romans achieve this goal? The answer lies in a material called “cement”. History. com states that "using a mixture that included lime and volcanic sand, the Romans were able to create a very strong and durable type of cement." According to a physical principle, bows made from this substance could support a lot of weight. As a result, the Romans were able to build massive structures, such as aqueducts, that supplied cities with water. The Roman arch allowed architects to explore different and larger structures. Roman arches can still be found in today's structures and buildings around the world. Paris in particular drew much inspiration from Roman architecture. In 1804, when Napoleon was emperor, he commissioned several works that would recreate Paris as a new Rome. The Arc de Triomphe and the Place Vendôme are two examples of French architects who borrowed Roman structures and arches. Additionally, Roman arches are not only found in buildings from the 1800s, but also in modern architecture, such as the interior of Union Station in Washington DC. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay While initially developed by the Greeks, arches were soon incorporated into Roman architecture. Initially built to support underground drainage systems, in Roman times arches were built primarily to inscribe significant events. As the Ancient History Encyclopedia states, “the Arch of Constantine, a construction celebrating Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, is the largest surviving example in Rome and is perhaps the last great monument of Imperial Rome . “The Roman bow solved a major problem by allowing it to support a large amount of weight. Therefore, it has.