The Roman Bridge at Saint-Thibéry (French: Pont romain de Saint-Thibéry) was a Roman bridge on the Via Domitia in southern France.[1] The partly surviving structure crossed the river Hérault in Saint-Thibéry, 17 km (11 mi) east of Béziers.[2]
Roman Bridge | |
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Coordinates | 43.392887°N 3.432836°E |
Carries | Via Domitia |
Crosses | Hérault |
Locale | Saint-Thibéry, Hérault, France |
Characteristics | |
Design | Segmental arch bridge |
Material | Stone |
Total length | Approximately 150 m (490 ft) |
Width | 4 m (13 ft) |
Longest span | 12 m (39 ft) |
No. of spans | 9 |
History | |
Construction end | Reign of Augustus (30 BC–14 AD) |
Location | |
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The ancient bridge had nine arches with spans of 10–12 m. The roadway rested on wide piers, which were protected on both sides by arched floodways and large cutwaters.[2] The original length of the structure is estimated as 150 m (490 ft), its road width as 4 m.[2] The missing spans are known to have been destroyed by a flood some time before 1536.[2]
The remaining arches, with a span to rise ratio of 3.3:1 (115°) or more, show a visibly flatter profile than the semi-circular arches usually preferred by Roman engineers (180°).[1][2] The rib thickness varies between one-tenth to one-twentieth of the span, corresponding to a common ratio also observed at a number of other Roman stone bridges.[3] The structure is dated to the reign of emperor Augustus (r. 27 BC – AD 14). Immediately upstream an old water mill and its millrace is located.[2]
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