Edit- After reading most of the comments the general consensus is listed below:
1. The unique composite matrix of the concrete used gives it a self-healing property. When cracks form in the concrete, it will naturally seal them.
2. The Pantheon was a very significant structure which led to meticulous maintenance and restorations
3. The Romans didn’t have modern engineering. So they didn’t know exactly how strong they’d have to build the Pantheon to make it last. Their solution was to overbuild the hell out of it.
4. Survivorship bias. There were thousands of buildings constructed by the Romans but very few remain which are the ones we marvel at.
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In: 564
I love my home town of Asbury Park, NJ.
When I would look into the history of certain addresses it was hard to find what use to be there. Through lots of research I was able to find many hotels and apartments buildings that were really cool and historic looking. They all burnt down, sometimes blocks at a time. Almost all of them build in the 1800s and early 1900s.
Lots buildings burn down and fall, especially wood ones.
Then people will be like ,’ these new buildings stink , look at these amazing built house from 1905, they dont build houses like that anymore ‘. People dont realize there where crappy places from that era, but now they are gone.
There was an excellent article on this a couple of days ago (tldr: the way they made concrete)
https://www.cnn.com/style/amp/roman-concrete-mystery-ingredient-scn/index.html
I’ve actually got the answer to this!!
It was documented and discovered recently.. but it is all to do with Roman concrete! Their concrete is so strong it can repair itself. No, it really fucking fixes itself.
We couldn’t figure out exactly how they made their concrete until recently, we knew the main components but the process wasn’t fully understood.
Essentially, they heat their concrete mixture, whereas we now cold mix our concrete, and most importantly they grind the components coarsely then add larger chunks of calcium carbonate into the mixture.
This settles, solidfys and when an earthquake hits say, and the concrete cracks, its been observed that the fractal lines are always where the chunks of calcium carbonate are.
The rain water works its way into the cracks, reacts with the calcium carbonate and I think I read it makes limestone?? It makes some kind of stone, that is stronger then concrete that was there in there first place. It breaks, it fixes its and Increases strength in the process.
Thats how the roman buildings such as the Pantheon are still standing like they’re 200 years old
Edit – [Source](https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/scientists-chip-away-how-ancient-roman-concrete-stood-test-time-2023-01-09/).
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