Show Notes
This episode is looks at the Romans use of timber, be it structural, joinery or temporary. Timber is somewhat of a forgotten material by most people who looking at Roman archaeology, mainly as there's so little of it left. This week we aim to give Roman timber, a little more of the limelight.
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Term = Definition Materia: General term for timber (as opposed to lignum, which usually referred to firewood). • Abies: Fir. The primary wood for long-span roofing due to its straight grain and high strength-to-weight ratio. • Quercus: Oak. Valued for its density and used for "wet-work" or heavy load-bearing sills. • Larix: Larch. Highly prized for its natural resistance to fire and rot; often used in maritime or bridge engineering. • Contignatio: A timber floor or ceiling assembly. This refers to the entire system of joists and decking. • Tignum: A general term for a structural beam or log. • Trabs: A large main beam, typically horizontal, used to support secondary joists. • Statumen: The secondary layer of a floor; cross-battens or "stiffeners" laid over the main beams. • Scandula: A wooden shingle. Used for roofing before the widespread adoption of terracotta tiles (tegulae). • Opus Craticium: A timber-frame construction method. It involves a wooden lattice (wattle) filled with mortar or clay (daub).
Oak (Quercus): The "Iron" of the Roman forest. Used for ground-contact sills and heavy-load lintels. Cato advises cutting oak only when the sap is down (winter) to prevent rot. Fir (Abies): The backbone of Roman roofs. Sourced from the Apennines. Vitruvius (De Architectura, Book 2.9) praises Fir for its lightness and stiffness, essential for long-span trusses. Larch (Larix): The "Fireproof" wood. Vitruvius notes its resistance to fire and rot, making it the premier choice for bridge pilings and high-moisture
For students of archaeology, history, and art history — and for anyone interested in how ancient buildings actually came into being. North Africa and Western Asia are home to a multitude of Roman buildings. Some still used on a daily basis, others in ruins, but that's typically not the fault of the original builders. The fact that these still exist at all after 2,000 years or more is a testament to skill and creativity of the original builders.
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