Roman Bricks

[Wes]

Greetings!!

While re-watching the History Channels "Cities of the Underworld" about Rome, I got to wondering (folding Laundry makes my mind wander!!lol) What were the sizes of the more common bricks used in Roman construction? All pictures I have viewed seem to show flatter, longer bricks with a larger or taller mortar line than what I am familiar with. I have been finishing my basement and built a brick Arch (FUN stuff there!) with modern red clay bricks. The Roman bricks seem a whiter or more tan color as well. Obviously clays would be different, but what about size? Was there a "Standard" size??

Thanks!!

Respectfully,

Wes

[Arahne]

42x28x4 cm is one of the most common sizes.
foot and a half x foot
but there are variables. In Sirmium observed standard size varies
42-45x28-30x4.5-7 cm
Also one interesting observation from Sirmium earlier bricks from I and II century are thinner than III and IV century ones 3.5-6 cm vs 4.5-8 cm but this is questionable.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

The romans use usually mesures based in the pes (foot) aprox 29 cm.

The more used are :

Bipedales; big bricks used to reinforç vaults or make flotating floors (suspensurae): 60 x 60 x 6 or 8.

Pedales: one foot. 29 x 29.

Sesquipedales: oneandhalf foot: 42-45 x 42-45.

Bessales: half foot: 14 x 14. Usually to make the columns of suspensurae.

And some times used square ones (42 x 28, 28 x 14, etc...)

[Arahne]

Question about bipedales - Cesar You said that they were used for suspensurae of flotating floors, what is that???

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Number 3 are the bipedales. Number 2 the bessales.

Picture from the web: www.balawat.com/archcrque/phipo.htm

[Arahne]

You confused me when You wrote that they where used for suspensurae. I understand now what you ment. Great site, and great drawings.

[Eleatic Guest]

Hehe...detected an anachrons\\ism. The pic shows a wheelbarrow, although there is no evidence at all for such a device with the Romans.

The only evidence for wheelbarrows in the ancient Mediterranean comes actually from 5th century BC Greece. Apart from that nada until the late 12th century.

See: M. J. T. Lewis: “The Origins of the Wheelbarrowâ€

[M. Demetrius]

Hehe...detected an anachrons\\ism. The pic shows a wheelbarrow, although there is no evidence at all for such a device with the Romans

Well, maybe they bought it at an antique store in Athens?

[Vedennius]

Bessales: half foot: 14 x 14. Usually to make the columns of suspensurae.

I thought that bessales where 2/3 foot, not half a foot?

Also, for what it's worth, bricks where sometimes subdivided along the diagonals to yield triangular bricks ...