bahrainthismonth.com | NOVEMBER 2026 ITALY IN BAHRAIN 35 A comparable interplay of light and architecture can be witnessed at Egypt’s Great Temple of Abu Simbel. Built in the 13th century BC and relocated in 1968, it admits sunlight deep into its sanctuary on 22 February and 22 October, illuminating statues within. Across these ancient monuments, scientific precision becomes an experience of beauty and awe. Another timeless classic comes to mind: have you ever visited the Trevi Fountain? Many recall Anita Ekberg’s iconic scene in La Dolce Vita or Nicola Salvi’s breathtaking Baroque façade, completed in 1762. Yet the water flowing through it carries a much older legacy. The fountain is fed by the Aqua Virgo, or Acquedotto Vergine, inaugurated by Agrippa in 19 BC. Running largely underground for more than 20 kilometres, it is the only one of ancient Rome’s eleven major aqueducts to have remained continuously in use. Roman hydraulic and civil engineering remain part of daily life, while ancient aqueducts still stand in Rome’s Appian Way Regional Park. This mastery of water also found expression in grand imperial retreats such as Hadrian’s Villa and, centuries later, Villa d’Este. This language of modularity, durability and technical intuition did not remain confined to Rome. It crossed seas and deserts, leaving an indelible mark across the known world. Rome left monuments alongside infrastructure: cities, bridges, harbours, roads and theatres. Some survive as ruins, like those in Pompeii; others retain public and cultural functions that span centuries. To grasp the full scale of Roman engineering, we must look beyond the capital, across the Alps and the Channel, to North Africa and the Levant. In Italy, the Arena of Verona offers a compelling example of the enduring dialogue between antiquity and modern life. Further south, the ancient theatres of Taormina and Catania reveal how Roman builders adapted inherited architectural traditions to local topography. Taormina’s theatre hosted a concert for leaders attending the 43rd G7 Summit in 2017. Across Europe, remarkable achievements survive: the towering Pont du Gard aqueduct in southern France, the Roman Baths in Bath and the monumental fortifications of Hadrian’s Wall. Roman roads helped shape European transport, linking communities across vast distances. This network also shaped imperial history. In Eboracum, the Roman fortress that became York, Emperor Septimius Severus died and Constantine the Great was acclaimed emperor by his troops. Across the Mediterranean in Libya, Leptis Magna and Sabratha demonstrate the scale of Rome’s engineering enterprise. Dramatically expanded under Septimius Severus, Leptis Magna preserves the footprint of an ambitious urban system: monumental public spaces, imperial baths, markets and a sophisticated harbour highlighting the importance of maritime commerce. At Sabratha, the extraordinary Roman theatre rises against the Mediterranean horizon, one of the ancient world’s most evocative architectural survivals. Libya’s capital offers another connection. Tripoli derives from the Greek Tripolis, meaning three cities: Leptis Magna, Sabratha and Oea, the site of modern Tripoli. Within the capital’s Old City, the Arch of Marcus Aurelius remains a magnificent reminder of this ancient heritage. This legacy is also linguistic. Zaragoza in Spain derives from Caesar Augusta, while Friuli in north-eastern Italy stems from Forum Iulii. Centuries later, classical names crossed the Atlantic. New York State is home to Syracuse, Utica and Scipio, while Naples and Venice in Florida are among many American cities carrying Italian names. In Jordan, Jerash and Gadara preserve theatres, colonnaded streets and monumental gateways that reveal the sophistication of Roman urban planning beyond the imperial heartland. In Amman, the Roman Theatre, built in honour of Emperor Antoninus Pius, was conceived as a place where thousands could gather to share a performance, a spectacle or a defining moment of public life. In Lebanon, Baalbek stands as a monumental expression of Roman architectural ambition. Its immense temples and carefully articulated stonework demonstrate a mastery of material, proportion and construction on an extraordinary scale. These are just a few examples of a cultural and technological legacy: building methods and an ability to organise space that continue to resonate. Some structures remain in use; others survive as archaeological sites. Together, they tell a story of ingenuity that transcends borders and centuries. From the Pantheon’s concrete dome to Italy’s amphitheatres, from North Africa’s harbours to the theatres of the Middle East, Roman engineering offers a lesson central to contemporary high-tech architecture. Innovation is the art of understanding matter, shaping space and creating structures capable of living across generations.
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