Abstract
Concrete is a material composed of coarse granular particles embedded in a binder that glues the particles together. It is commonly believed that the ancient Romans were the first to create and use such material, but this is not true, as we can easily learn from the Latin literature itself. Without any doubt, Romans were able to prepare high-quality hydraulic cement, comparable with the modern Portland cement. In this paper we present some notes on the ancient concrete. From Rome, we will go back in time, showing how the Greeks used it in their Mycenaean royal palaces. The paper continues talking about an Egyptian concrete and ends discussing the use of concrete during Neolithic times.
Highlights
Concrete is a composite material where we have a coarse granular material, the aggregate, embedded in cement or binder, which is filling the space among the particles of the granular material and gluing them together
The paper ends with the use of concrete in Neolithic times, demonstrated by some archaeological remains found in the Southern Galilee
We have discussed the concrete found in the Greek palaces of Homeric times, and that of the Egyptian pyramids
Summary
Concrete is a composite material where we have a coarse granular material, the aggregate, embedded in cement or binder, which is filling the space among the particles of the granular material and gluing them together. The “De Architectura” by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio and the “Naturalis Historia” by Gaius Plinius Secundus, known as Pliny the Elder, give us a precise description of the use of concrete at the beginning of the Roman Empire [1,2,3,4,5]. These two books are fundamental to investigate the knowledge of materials and their technologies in Rome and deserve a detailed study. Let us note that the Roman caementum has much in common with its modern counterpart, the Portland cement: that is, its composition is very close to that of modern cement [6]
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