The Energetics of Earth and Turf Construction in the Roman World

Beyond the necessary examination of form and function of finished architectural products, discussions of their construction have become central themes in scholarship on Roman architecture over the last few decades. The prevalence of physical remains in the archaeological record and discussion of building practices in historical texts has allowed for some direct knowledge of Roman building practices. However, it is the addition of quantitative methods of analysis that have provided a means of modelling material and labour resource management — aspects of building practices that are less evident in traditional data sources. This is why energetics has now become a major strand of architectural history