ABSTRACT
The lack of a confirmed date for the Pont du Gard is very unsatisfactory. From the Pont du Gard to Nimes the aqueduct falls only 6 m in 34 km. Henry James observed that the Pont du Gard is a massive solution to the problem of channelling a modicum of water to a small town. The evolution of Roman bridge building is too big a subject to elaborate here; suffice to say the changes did occur and another manifestation is the move towards a more regular and rational use of concrete. The Pont du Gard is equally well recorded pictorially and the Musee de Vieux Nimes houses a fine collection of prints and engravings. The source of the Nimes aqueduct was at Uzes, 20 km to the north. The bridge has been frequently and comprehensively described with regard to every detail of its size, shape and composition.
