Engineers Building Rome: A Group Picture

Abstract

This thesis explores what individuals were connect to engineering works in Roman practice and in the Roman. It examines literary sources, epigraphical evidence, and material evidence using the cognitive anthropology lenses of community of practice and distributed cognition networks to shed light on the complex web of individuals connected to Roman engineering works It begins by exploring diversity found within the engineering community of practice and exploring the benefits and challenges of etic and emic categorisations to understand engineering practice in the Roman world. The following chapters explore the role of engineering within a military context, the military’s role as a training ground for engineers and the use of military engineering as a tool by those with greater political aims. The dichotomy and intersection of the role of engineering works in peace time is also examined. This thesis explores the impact of project management, the use of theoretical knowledge and practical ability and the engineer’s role as a bridge between “doers” and “talkers”. The connection between shaping the natural world and conceptions of Romanitas are also analysed. The final chapter of the thesis investigates Roman responses to both engineering success and failure from the perspectives of those outside the community of practice and the engineers themselves. Key themes which emerge are the importance of virtue in the Roman understanding of engineering success and the contribution of Roman engineers to the res publica.