Itineraire Instructif de Rome à Naples, ou, Description Generale des Monumens Anciens et Modernes

1813

de Beer Itb 1815 V

Rome: [Mariano Vasi]

The Romans’ use of concrete enabled them to build enormous, solid and stable buildings and structures both on land and under the water. They perfected the ‘recipe’ and typically used the volcanic sands called pozzolana from the town of Pozzuoli near Naples. Mixed with quicklime, an aggregate and water, this concrete was very strong and durable and has similar qualities to modern-day Portland cement. The Colosseum and the Pantheon were constructed using concrete and both of these buildings survive to this day. Concrete is now the most widely used man-made substance. Indeed, what would we do without it? In his guidebook, Mariano Vasi mentions pozzolano in his entry about Pozzuoli – ‘…de faire avec la chaux un ciment très-dur, propre à résister à toute espèce d’humidité…’ [when mixed with limestone the sands make a durable cement, unique in its ability to withstand all kinds of moisture].