Ponte di Tiberio
About
Spanning the Marecchia (ancient Ariminus) at Ariminum, this five-arch bridge of Istrian stone was begun under Augustus in 14 CE and completed and dedicated under Tiberius in 21 CE, as recorded by its own dedicatory inscription naming both emperors. It marked the starting point of the Via Aemilia and connections onward toward Aquileia, cementing Ariminum's role as a road hub. Remarkably durable — it survived antiquity, the Middle Ages, and even reported German demolition charges in the Second World War, and still carries traffic today.
What happened here
Piers are set on cofferdams — a ring of driven piles, pumped dry, filled with concrete that sets under water. They are built with a cutwater pointing upstream to split the current and the ice. The span above may be stone arches or timber on stone, and timber is not a poor relation: it is cheaper, faster, and replaceable. Roads approach on an embankment so the crossing stays level. Tolls are common, shrines at either end are usual, and the inscription names whoever paid. Floods are the enemy; a bridge is inspected after every big one, and the scour around the piers is packed with rubble. A bridge fixes a town's position for a thousand years, which is why so many are still standing.
Sources
Nearby
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