Why did so much technology that was common in the Roman Empire did not make it into the medieval age?

Question

Examples like aquaducts, sewage, advanced architecture, etcetera

In: 121

Answer 1

When you live in a city you need large building projects like aqueducts to supply enough water to the people. You need larger buildings like basilicas and amphitheaters for very large groups of people. You need sewage to remove the waste large groups can produce.

When you live in little rural villages and manors, these things aren’t necessary. You settle near fresh water, you make latrines, you need the manor hall and the church to accommodate the small local population.

But medieval people also developed new technologies the Romans didn’t have, like windmills, ploughing for harder soil, yokes for ox and horses. Spurs so knights could fight on horseback, and flying buttresses so stone walls could be both tall and light enough to have massive windows.

Edit: stirrups! I should have typed stirrups not spurs. Very silly mistake on my part.