Ponte di Pioraco
Encyclopedia
The Ponte di Pioraco is a Roman bridge
in Pioraco
, central Italy
, presumably erected under emperor
Augustus
(r. 30 BC–14 AD).
It belonged to a branch road of the Via Flaminia
, which ran from Nocera Umbra to the east through Pioraco
, San Severino
, Treia
and Osimo
to Ancona
. The structure has a single arch vault. At one end a small segmental arch
springs from the ground to the quarter point of the main arch; it worked as a floodway. The Ponte del Gran Caso
, which is also located in central Italy, features a similar design.
Roman bridge
Roman bridges, built by ancient Romans, were the first large and lasting bridges built. Roman bridges were built with stone and had the arch as its basic structure....
in Pioraco
Pioraco
Pioraco is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 60 km southwest of Ancona and about 40 km southwest of Macerata.-History:...
, central Italy
Central Italy
Central Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency...
, presumably erected under emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
(r. 30 BC–14 AD).
It belonged to a branch road of the Via Flaminia
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to Ariminum on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had for travel between Etruria, Latium and Campania and the Po Valley...
, which ran from Nocera Umbra to the east through Pioraco
Pioraco
Pioraco is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 60 km southwest of Ancona and about 40 km southwest of Macerata.-History:...
, San Severino
San Severino Marche
San Severino Marche is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 50 km southwest of Ancona and about 25 km southwest of Macerata.-From prehistory to Roman age:...
, Treia
Treia
Treia is a town and comune in the province of Macerata in the central Marche . It is N of Pollenza, W of Macerata, and NNE of Tolentino.-History:...
and Osimo
Osimo
Osimo is a town and comune of the Marche, Italy, in the province of Ancona, 15 km south of that town by rail. It is situated on a hill near the Adriatic Sea.Silk-spinning and the raising of cocoons are carried on.-History:...
to Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
. The structure has a single arch vault. At one end a small segmental arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
springs from the ground to the quarter point of the main arch; it worked as a floodway. The Ponte del Gran Caso
Ponte del Gran Caso
The Ponte del Gran Caso is a Roman bridge across the Torrente Gran Caso 2 km south of Ascoli Piceno, central Italy.Today, the structure is surrounded by thick vegetation, and serves only to carry a wood shed. The bridge has a span of 6 m, a width of 3.3 m and is built of travertine...
, which is also located in central Italy, features a similar design.