Ancient Roman aqueduct - photo

[mklotz]

Visiting certain Roman Empire sites is more than revealing, it's eye opening. For example, their sewage system engineering set precedent for today's standards. They learned just one rate of slope provided best flushing action to not pool or 'outrun' solid wastes.
https://www.google.com/search?client...te+of+drainage

Certain revisionists might dispute findings, but few are plumbers, pipe-fitters, or other qualified infrastructure personnel.

Some of their aqueducts are miles long. As a result the slope angle that must be maintained is tiny. How they maintained such an angle with little more than sticks and plumb bobs while building in stone is downright astounding.

[Toolmaker51]

Some of their aqueducts are miles long. As a result the slope angle that must be maintained is tiny. How they maintained such an angle with little more than sticks and plumb bobs while building in stone is downright astounding.

There are 'countless' such historic mysteries, puzzling us over time at every level of expertise; and others that were originally disputed in their own era, only later proved at least accurate if not correct.
One thing is sure, we may formulate space launch trajectories, stress analysis of largest building frameworks ever, or requirements to pump New Orleans out after Katrina, but none prove genius (outside the sphere thinking) like the earlier examples.