Trajan's Bridge over the Danube

For the final conquest of Dacia, Apollodorus of Damascus, Trajan's principal engineer, built a monumental bridge over the Danube in AD 105. This paper aims at understanding the historical circumstances and environmental conditions during the building of Trajan's bridge, as well as its construction technology, by analysing the limited written and iconographic ancient sources. It also offers an overview of archaeological research on the structure to date, with special attention to the 2003 underwater archaeological survey, which established the state of preservation of the remaining piers, emphasizing the need for their long-term protection.
© 2009 The Author