I've always wanted to build and use a groma, the famous surveying tool of ancient Greek and Roman civil engineers. With it the Romans built roads so straight, they still have people scratching their heads wondering how they did it.
And the metal fragments of this groma found in the Shop of Verus, the Blacksmith, in Pompeii (I.6.3)...if I can find a picture of them.
And this gravestone of a land surveyor with this inscription and wonderful image of a groma:
Our Roman Road Project is the perfect opportunity to learn this tool, but I knew I was going to need help. I've read extensively about their use in books like Lewis' Surveying Tools of Greece and Rome, but you probably know how it is - unless you actually use one yourself, no video or book is going to be good enough.
Earlier this month, I finally got a chance to talk to Dr. Courtney Roby of Cornell University via Zoom. We met at the virtual 2022 annual meeting of the Classical Association of New England to which we were both invited to speak on our ancient STEM classes. (Her excellent book, Technical Ekphrasis in Greek and Roman Science and Literature: The Written Machine between Alexandira and Rome, Cambridge University Press, 2016, is linked here.) Her presentation was about her hands-on lesson using a groma she built to lay out the plan of the ancient porticus Pompeiana on her school's football field. I knew immediately that we needed to chat at some point in the future, and we've been emailing back and forth about numerous things since then.
And this gravestone of a land surveyor with this inscription and wonderful image of a groma:
Our Roman Road Project is the perfect opportunity to learn this tool, but I knew I was going to need help. I've read extensively about their use in books like Lewis' Surveying Tools of Greece and Rome, but you probably know how it is - unless you actually use one yourself, no video or book is going to be good enough.
Earlier this month, I finally got a chance to talk to Dr. Courtney Roby of Cornell University via Zoom. We met at the virtual 2022 annual meeting of the Classical Association of New England to which we were both invited to speak on our ancient STEM classes. (Her excellent book, Technical Ekphrasis in Greek and Roman Science and Literature: The Written Machine between Alexandira and Rome, Cambridge University Press, 2016, is linked here.) Her presentation was about her hands-on lesson using a groma she built to lay out the plan of the ancient porticus Pompeiana on her school's football field. I knew immediately that we needed to chat at some point in the future, and we've been emailing back and forth about numerous things since then.
Talking to her was an epiphany! I finally understood using the groma, and what to look for in sighting. She also talked about the importance of pacing and measurement in ancient surveying. She gave me some great ideas on how to teach the Roman pace, as she does with her surveying project. I'm truly thankful to her for sharing her lessons and taking the time to explain the groma to me. This project is indebted to her!
Now...to build a groma.
Some resources you may find helpful:
Lewis, Surveying Instruments of Greece and Rome
I've searched far and wide, and this reenactor describes best how to use a groma.
This student built one for a class project, and her telescoping innovation looks helpful.
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