Roman Dam

• The Romans built many Dams throughout their Empire, some of which still exist today.

Roman Dams that have survived

• Glanum Dam, France
  • c. 27 BCE. The Glanum Dam is the earliest known Roman Dam in Gaul. It was an arched Dam. It consisted of two stone 3.3 ft wide walls, built in a curve, with a 4ft 9inch gap between thought to have been filled with rubble. The Dam was 20 ft high (6m) and 11 ft (3.5m) thick. The Dam blocked a Gorge with steep sides. The water was carried via an aqueduct to Glanum, for its Fountains and Public Baths.
  • Today, a modern Dam has been built on the identical site, destroying the old roman Dam.

• Kasserine Dam, Tunisia
  • This is a 2nd century CE gravity arch dam.

• Band-e Kaisar, Shush, Iran (Bridge of Valerian)
  • Built after 260 CE, this dam is 1,640 ft (500m) long and consists of approximately 40 arches over the river Karun. It was a weir carrying a road on its arches.
  • The construction took between 3 to 7 years to complete and its Ruins are still standing.
  • It was built by the captured Roman Legions under Valerian after his disastrous defeat by the Persians under Shapur I at the Battle of Edessa in 260 CE.