Maritime engineering during the Roman Republic and the early empire  <B>Maritime engineering during the Roman Republic and the early empire</B><P>J.M.E. Prada and J.M.O. De la Pena</B><I><P> Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas, CedexMoptma, Calle Antonio Lopez, Madrid, Spain</I><P> 1. Abstract<P> The paper briefly describes the wealth of knowledge concerning maritime engineering achieved by the Roman curatores (engineers) up to the period of the Early Empire. This knowledge was obtained because they knew how to bring together all the technologies of previous civilizations. The study contemplates only three aspects of their knowledge and maritime techniques which are not usually studied: the foundation of breakwaters, topography and cartography and marine climate. The sources employed are: literary, archaeological and other complementary works.<P>