George Mason University: Rise of Roman Civilization in Rome and Pompeii

What is Rome really made of? What conditions favored her fortune? What interplay of territory (natural processes, climate, and resources) and culture contributed to the rise of Roman civilization? By taking this interdisciplinary course in urban geology/geoarchaeology, students will discover how Roman civilization took advantage of a series of favorable geological events that shaped the landscape and provided the raw material to grow and flourish.  The rocks formed by volcanoes (tuffs) and deposited by water (travertine) were transformed by the ingenuity of the Roman engineers and architects into buildings and infrastructures. Likewise, the waters resources of the nearby regions were harnessed in the most developed system of aqueducts capable to bring water to over one million people who lived in ancient Rome during the heights of the empire. What was not readily available was brought in from the provinces.