Ep: 006 - Roman Metals: One Million Nails

The Romans used a wide variety of metals, both ferrous and non-ferrous.

Iron, lead, bronze, brass, tin and copper were all commonly used by the Romans.

For structural connections, plumbing, door handles, decorative elements or any other practical use, in or for the home, the Romans had a solution!

• Ferrum → Iron
• Plumbum → Lead
• Stannum → Tin
• Aes → Copper alloy (bronze or brass)
• Cuprum → Copper
• Cadmia → Zinc ore (used to make brass)
• Argentum → Silver
• Aurum → Gold
• Clavus → Nail
• Fibula → Fastener / clasp (sometimes a clamp)
• Fistula → Pipe (usually lead)
• Aes coronarium → Thin decorative bronze sheet
• Aerugo → Verdigris (green corrosion on copper alloys)

Note:

The Romans did not separate “bronze” and “brass” the way we do today. Both were usually called aes — meaning copper alloy.

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Ep. 004 - Roman Mortar, Concrete and Their Famous Pozzolans

In this episode, the Build Like A Roman Podcast episode looks at the Roman use of Lime mortars, Pozzolans, a volcanic ash which modified the nature of lime, and how they produced concrete.

The focus on this episode is lime from calcium based limestone. We'll look at limes derived from Dolomitic and Magnesium in the future. There deserve their own episode, given the difference between them and calcium limes. For one, they need vastly extended slaking time compared to calcium to avoid post construction expansion and other problems.

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Photos on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUaWnF2DfeT

The Episodes definitions:

Opus signinum = Hydraulic flooring/render with crushed pottery in lime binder. Key in baths and water features; related to opus signinum.

Opus Caementicium = Concrete (lime + aggregate)

Binder – The cementitious component that coats and glues aggregate grains, hardening by chemical reaction and/or carbonation.

Mortar – A plastic mix (binder + aggregate + water, sometimes additives) used for bedding and pointing masonry; hardens to a rigid, adhesive matrix.

Plaster – As a noun, a finishing material for interior (and sometimes exterior) surfaces; as a verb, the act of applying a plaster/render coat.

Stucco / Render – Historically imprecise. Can be lime-, gypsum- or cement‑based; composition and regional usage vary

Lime - Non-hydraulic lime (Air lime): Produced by burning relatively pure limestones. Sets slowly by carbonation. Common in Europe, Middle East, and India until the late 19th century.

Lime - Hydraulic lime (Water lime): Produced from impure limestones containing clay/silica. Hardens under water. Widely used in Roman and later European construction.

Gypsum - Used for internal plasters and decorative finishes. Rapid setting but not durable in damp conditions.

Portland Cement

- Patented in 1824 (Joseph Aspdin, Leeds).

- By late 19th century, became dominant due to strength and speed of setting.

- Conservation issue: often too rigid and dense compared to historic lime mortars, leading to damage in traditional masonry.

Sands

- Siliceous sands: durable, sharp, but chemically inert.

- Calcareous sands: softer, more chemically compatible with lime binders, but less durable.

- Volcanic sands: reactive, good pozzolanic properties.

Plasticity – Ability to undergo permanent deformation without cracking

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Ep. 003 - Introduction to Roman Brick and Tile

This week, the Build Like A Roman Podcast episode is about fired clay, for bricks and roofs.

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Photos of this episode: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUS--yyjTTR/

The Episodes Translations:

Opus vittatum mixtum (listatum) = Alternating brick and stone courses

Opus mixtum= Combination of stone and brick facings

Opus testaceum = Concrete faced with brick/tiles

Opus vittatum / listatum = Banded tufa/brick

Opus latericium / testaceum = Brick‑faced concrete

Opus mixtum (reticulatum mixtum) = Mixed brick‑reticulate

Pedalis = One‑foot tile/brick

Sesquipedalis = 1½‑foot brick/tile

Bessalis = Two‑thirds brick/tile

Tegula = Flat pan tile

Imbrex = Cover tile

Later / laterculus = Thin wall tile

Lateres Crudi = Unfired bricks

Lateres Cocti = fire bricks

Reading materials:

Roman building: materials and techniques, Adam, JP (1994)

Roman Building Techniques, Rook, T (2013)

Roman Builders, Taylor, R (2003)

Build Like a Roman is a podcast about how the Roman world was built.

Focusing on materials, craft, and construction, each episode

explores the practical realities of Roman building — from stone, brick, and

mortar to the organisation of labour and technical skill behind surviving

structures.

Short, focused episodes introduce core building materials before

diving deeper into how buildings were made, maintained, and understood in the

Roman world.

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.

There are some great Podcast which look at Roman politics,

history, and architecture, however in this Podcast, we focus on Construction

history, that being building materials, techniques and and the people who did

the work!

From structures to frescos, we'll cover it all!

Hosted by Darren McLean.

Buy me a Coffee

Bluesky

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Spotify

Music Happy harp 6109353

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 002 - Rome began with wooden huts, then came stone

This week, the Build Like A Roman Podcast introductory episode is about Stone, in particular Tuff, Travertine and Marble. While not used uniformly across the Roman empire, they were ubiquitous in the City of Rome and the surrounding region.

☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://ko-fi.com/buildlikearoman

Photos of this episode: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUOEesoiHfq/

Build Like a Roman is a podcast about how the Roman world was built.

Focusing on materials, craft, and construction, each episode

explores the practical realities of Roman building — from stone, brick, and

mortar to the organisation of labour and technical skill behind surviving

structures.

Short, focused episodes introduce core building materials before

diving deeper into how buildings were made, maintained, and understood in the

Roman world.

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.

There are some great Podcast which look at Roman politics,

history, and architecture, however in this Podcast, we focus on Construction

history, that being building materials, techniques and and the people who did

the work!

From structures to frescos, we'll cover it all!

Hosted by Darren McLean.

Buy me a Coffee

Bluesky

Instagram

Follow:

Acast

Apple

Patreon

Spotify

Music Happy harp 6109353

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 001 - A Description of the series

This episode is a welcome to the series, with an introduction to the Romans as builders and a description of what the following topics will cover.

Build Like a Roman is a podcast about how the Roman world was built.

Focusing on materials, craft, and construction, each episode

explores the practical realities of Roman building — from stone, brick, and

mortar to the organisation of labour and technical skill behind surviving

structures.

Short, focused episodes introduce core building materials before

diving deeper into how buildings were made, maintained, and understood in the

Roman world.

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.

There are some great Podcast which look at Roman politics,

history, and architecture, however in this Podcast, we focus on Construction

history, that being building materials, techniques and and the people who did

the work!

From structures to frescos, we'll cover it all!

☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://ko-fi.com/buildlikearoman

Hosted by Darren McLean.

Buy me a Coffee

Bluesky

Instagram

Follow:

Acast

Apple

Patreon

Spotify

Music Happy harp 6109353

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.