(no subject)

[timelets]

The grand lines of fortification sometimes constructed by the army served a practical purpose, but they were also visually very impressive, and as a result intimidating to an enemy, most of whom were incapable of constructing comparable works. This same combination of spec- tacle and utility was also a feature of the roads, causeways and bridges which the army constructed to facilitate its advance.

Bridges were an especially impressive statement of the Romans’ deter- mination not to be prevented by nature from achieving their objectives.

Philip Sabin, et. al. The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare, Vol. 2. 2007.

It's interesting to think about a bridge as a speech act, specifically, as a deterrence signal. Does it relate to MxU -> 2 ?