Lost_Warrior Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 I've always wondered this, as it is a well known fact that parts of Rome were destroyed by fire, including the Senate building on several occasions. Now, wooden buildings aside, how did this happen? Many of the buildings which were destroyed were built of marble or concrete, yet they were "burnt to the ground". How is it possible for marble to be burned completly? Or was it a case of "the building burnt so now the townspeople grab all of the leftover materials for their own use"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I've always wondered this, as it is a well known fact that parts of Rome were destroyed by fire, including the Senate building on several occasions. Now, wooden buildings aside, how did this happen? Many of the buildings which were destroyed were built of marble or concrete, yet they were "burnt to the ground". How is it possible for marble to be burned completly? Or was it a case of "the building burnt so now the townspeople grab all of the leftover materials for their own use"? The discussion in this thread may help a bit... Fires of 64 Additionally stone may not 'burn to the ground" per se, but heat can still cause major structural damage to the compounds holding various stones together as well as the stone itself if hot enough, fire and ash can seriously stain the stone as well as destroy exterior painting, glasswork etc. In this regard, a stone building may not necessarily fall to the ground from 'burning', but it may become an eyesore at best, be rendered structurally unsound requiring repair, or be toppled by the intense heat. I'm certainly no physics expert however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 The way I understand it, if the fire is hot enough, marble can and will infact burn and will become lime. The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus burnt to the ground this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I suppose. I just didn't think that it would happen with the frequency that it seems to have happened in Rome Although it makes sense that the building could become so unstable that it falls even if the stone doesn't "burn" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Most buildings were wooden framed and therefore vulnerable to structural failures when fire rages. The marble/brick/stone was often facing material and not load bearing. Stones can actually melt if they're soft and the temperature is high enough. Not liquify perhaps, but certainly distort. Stones with air pockets can actually burst apart. Obviously the more stout constructions such as temples were not wooden framed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted August 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 I had forgotten about the air bubbles lol. I find it to be a bit surprising, and bitterly ironic, that the Temple of Jupiter burnt down...several times if I'm not mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiochus of Seleucia Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Air bubbles heat up, air expands, block fractures, building tumbles. Fires were one of the most feared disasters in the ancient world because they were so destructive and happened a lot more frequently than any other. What about tornadoes? I have never heard any ancient accounts of tornadoes! (Way to change the topic Antiochus...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted August 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 haha I don't think they have tornados in europe. I may be mistaken, but I've never heard of it, even in modern times. Fire was also alot more difficult to fight than it is today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiochus of Seleucia Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 I'm sure they do, but tornadoes really don't make international television... Ahh, us Americans are so ignorant. Dear Europeans, do you guys have tornadoes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 I'm sure they do, but tornadoes really don't make international television... Ahh, us Americans are so ignorant. Dear Europeans, do you guys have tornadoes? No, I support Lost Warrior on this, we have no tornadoes in Europe. Till now. The way we are warming up our planet, I'm sure the tornadoes are coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 I'm sure they do, but tornadoes really don't make international television... Ahh, us Americans are so ignorant. Dear Europeans, do you guys have tornadoes? The only tornado that happens where i liive is when the kids come home from school!!! Well the house looks like its been hit by a tornado anyway Thats about as close as we in the U.K get anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 (edited) There is some cases of Tornado's in Europe but there not the big one's that cause damage,its very rare for the big fast one to touch down, but it does happen occasionaly. Tornado's in Britain Torro. I remember watching the Whirlwinds (thats what we called them) forming in the loose hay on the farmers fields when we were kids.They look like mini Tornados but they cause no damage you can even play in them . L Edited August 20, 2006 by longbow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted August 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Hehe we call those things "dust devils" in America. They are usually in dust, but I suppose they could be in hay as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Did mama ever tell you to go play with a dust devil and get yourself swept up in the whirlwind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted August 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Lol we don't have them much here actually. They're more a southern/western thing. Kinda rare in the mountains of Pennsylvania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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