Imihanda y’Abaroma igaragaza ubuhanga mu myubakire ya kera

MU BINTU Abaroma bubatse, ni ikihe kigaragaza ubuhanga kurusha ibindi? Aho ntiwasubiza ko ari Colisée (inzu y’imikino yabaga i Roma), yo igifite n’itongo i Roma? Dushatse gusuzuma ibintu Abaroma bakoze bimaze igihe kirekire kurusha ibindi kandi byagize uruhare rukomeye mu mateka, twatekereza ku mihanda yaho.

Uretse ibicuruzwa hamwe n’abasirikare, hari n’ibindi bintu byinshi byanyuraga mu mihanda minini cyane y’Abaroma. Romolo A. Staccioli, umuhanga mu birebana n’inyandiko za kera zabaga zanditse ku nkuta cyangwa ku bihangano, yavuze ko iyo mihanda yagize uruhare mu “gukwirakwiza ibitekerezo, ubuhanga mu by’ubugeni, inyigisho za filozofiya n’iz’amadini,” hakubiyemo n’iz’Ubukristo.

Mu bihe bya kera, abantu babonaga ko imihanda y’Abaroma ari ibintu byakozwe kera bifite icyo bivuze mu mateka. Abaroma bamaze ibinyejana byinshi bakora urusobe rw’imihanda ifite aho ihurira, yagendaga ikagera mu birometero bisaga 80.000, mu karere ubu kagizwe n’ibihugu birenga 30.

Umuhanda wa mbere w’ingenzi bitaga via publica, ubu twakwita umuhanda munini cyane, wari Via Appia cyangwa Umuhanda wa Apiya. Uwo muhanda wari uzwiho kuba mwiza kurusha iyindi yose, wahuzaga Roma na Brundisium (ubu hitwa Brindisi), umujyi wo ku cyambu abantu bambukiragaho bajya mu Burasirazuba. Uwo muhanda witiriwe Appius Claudius Caecus, umutegetsi w’Umuroma watangije imirimo yo kuwukora ahagana mu mwaka wa 312 Mbere ya Yesu. Indi mihanda yageraga i Roma ni Via Salaria na Via Flaminia, yombi ikaba yaranyuraga mu burasirazuba igana ku Nyanja ya Adriatique, bityo igatuma abantu bashobora kujya mu karere ka Balkans no mu turere duturiye uruzi rwa Rhin n’urwa Danube. Umuhanda bitaga Via Aurelia, wo werekezaga mu majyaruguru ugana muri Gaule no mu mwigimbakirwa wa Ibérie; naho uwitwaga Via Ostiensis ukerekeza Ostia, icyambu Abaroma bakundaga kunyuraho bajya muri Afurika cyangwa bavayo.

Umushinga Abaroma bakoze uruta iyindi yose

Imihanda yari ifitiye umujyi wa Roma akamaro na mbere y’uko abaturage baho batangira gukora indi mihanda mishya. Uwo mujyi watangiriye mu ihuriro ry’imihanda ya kera, aho hakaba ari ho honyine uruzi rwa Tibre rwari rufite amazi magufi ku buryo umuntu yashoboraga kurwambuka agenda n’amaguru. Inyandiko za kera zigaragaza ko kugira ngo Abaroma bavugurure imihanda yari isanzweho, biganye abaturage b’i Carthage. Ariko nanone, birashoboka ko Abeturisike (Etrusques) ari bo babanjirije Abaroma kugira ubuhanga mu gukora imihanda. Ibice bimwe na bimwe by’imihanda bakoze n’ubu biracyahari. Byongeye kandi, mbere y’igihe cy’Abaroma, muri ako karere hari inzira nyabagendwa nyinshi. Izo nzira zishobora kuba zaranyuragamo amatungo ava mu rwuri rumwe ajya mu rundi. Icyakora, kugenda muri iyo mihanda byari bigoye kubera ko mu gihe cy’izuba yabaga yuzuye ivumbi, naho mu gihe cy’imvura ikaba irimo ibyondo byinshi. Incuro nyinshi, Abaroma bakoraga imihanda yabo bahereye kuri izo nzira.

Imihanda y’Abaroma yabaga yarakorewe igishushanyo mbonera, igakorwa ku buryo iba ikomeye, ikagirira abantu akamaro kandi ikaba ari myiza. Ubundi umuhanda uhuza ahantu n’ahandi wagombaga kuba ari mugufi uko bishoboka kose, iyo ikaba ari yo mpamvu wasangaga imihanda myinshi idafite amakorosi menshi. Ariko kandi, incuro nyinshi byabaga ngombwa ko imihanda izunguruka ikurikiye uko uturere irimo duteye. Aho bishoboka, mu duce turimo udusozi n’imisozi, Abaroma bakoraga imihanda hagati ku mabanga y’imisozi, ku ruhande rukunda kuvaho izuba. Gucisha umuhanda  ahantu nk’aho byatumaga abantu bawunyuramo badahura n’ingorane zashoboraga guterwa n’ibihe bibi.

None se ni gute Abaroma bakoraga iyo mihanda yabo? Bakoreshaga uburyo bwinshi, ariko reka turebe ubw’ibanze bwagaragajwe n’ubushakashatsi bw’ibyataburuwe mu matongo.

Mbere na mbere bagenaga aho umuhanda uzanyura. Uwo wari umurimo w’abahanga bo muri icyo gihe babaga bazi imiterere y’ubutaka. Hanyuma, umurimo uruhije wo gucukura wakorwaga n’abasirikare, abakora imirimo y’ingufu cyangwa abacakara. Bacukuraga imiferege ibiri iteganye. Intera nto yashoboraga kuba hagati y’iyo miferege yombi yari metero 2,4, ariko ubusanzwe yagombaga kuba metero 4, kandi mu makorosi yariyongeraga. Ubugari bw’umuhanda urangije gukorwa bwashoboraga kugera kuri metero 10, ushyizemo n’inzira z’abanyamaguru zari ku mpande zombi. Ubwo noneho bakuragaho ubutaka bwo hagati ya ya miferege yombi hagasigara icyobo. Iyo bageraga ku butaka bukomeye, basasagamo ibintu binyuranye, bimwe bakagenda babigereka ku bindi, ibyo bakabikora incuro eshatu cyangwa  enye. Hasi bashoboraga gusasamo amabuye manini cyangwa ibice by’amabuye n’iby’amatafari. Hanyuma bakurikizagaho amabuye mato yiburungushuye cyangwa abwase, wenda afatanyishije isima ivanze n’umucanga urimo amabuye, hejuru bakahatsindagira urusekabuye cyangwa amabuye babanje kumenagura.

Mu mihanda imwe n’imwe y’Abaroma, hejuru nta kindi wahabonaga uretse urusekabuye batsindagiye. Ariko kandi, imihanda ishashemo amabuye ni yo yatangazaga abantu bo muri icyo gihe. Igice cyo hejuru cy’iyo mihanda cyabaga kigizwe n’amabuye manini ashashe neza, incuro nyinshi akaba yari ibisate by’urutare rwashoboraga kuboneka muri ako gace. Hagati muri iyo mihanda habaga hatumburutse buhoro, ibyo bigatuma amazi y’imvura atembera mu miferege yabaga iri ku mpande zombi. Ubwo buryo bwo gukora imihanda ya kera bwatumye iramba kandi na n’ubu imwe n’imwe iracyariho.

Nyuma y’imyaka hafi 900 umuhanda bitaga Via Appia ukozwe, Procopius, umuhanga mu by’amateka w’i Byzance yavuze ko uwo muhanda wari “agahebuzo.” Ku birebana n’amabuye yari awushashemo, yaranditse ati “nubwo umaze igihe kirekire cyane kandi buri munsi ukaba waranyurwagamo n’amagare menshi akururwa n’amafarashi, ntiwigeze wangirika, habe no kuzamo ibinogo.”

Ni gute iyo mihanda yashoboraga guca ahantu haruhije, urugero nko hejuru y’inzuzi? Uburyo bumwe bw’ingenzi bwari ukubaka ibiraro, na n’ubu bimwe bikaba bikiriho; ibyo bikaba bihamya ko Abaroma ba kera bari bafite ubuhanga budasanzwe. Imihanda y’Abaroma yanyuraga mu butaka wenda ntizwi cyane, ariko kuyikora na byo byari ingorabahizi, urebye ubuhanga abantu bari bafite icyo gihe n’ibikoresho byashoboraga kuboneka. Hari igitabo cyagize kiti “ubuhanga Abaroma bari bafite . . . bwatumye bagera ku bintu byamaze ibinyejana byinshi nta bandi barabigeraho.” Urugero twatanga ni urw’i Furlo, aho umuhanda witwaga Via Flaminia wanyuraga mu butaka. Mu mwaka wa 78, abahanga bamaze kugaragaza neza aho uwo muhanda wagombaga kunyura, bamennye urutare rukomeye, banyuzamo umuhanda wo mu butaka ufite metero 40 z’uburebure, metero 5 z’ubugari na metero 5 z’ubuhagarike. Icyo cyari igikorwa gitangaje rwose, urebye ibikoresho byariho icyo gihe. Gukora imihanda imeze ityo ni kimwe mu bintu bihambaye kurusha ibindi abantu bagezeho.

Abanyuraga muri iyo mihanda n’uko ibitekerezo byagiye bikwirakwira

Abasirikare n’abacuruzi, ababwirizabutumwa na ba mukerarugendo, abakinnyi b’amakinamico n’abakurankota, bose banyuraga muri iyo mihanda. Abanyamaguru bashoboraga gukora urugendo ruri hagati y’ibirometero 25 na 30 ku munsi. Kugira ngo abagenzi bamenye intera iri hagati y’ahantu n’ahandi, bifashishaga amabuye yerekana ibirometero yabaga ashinze ku mihanda. Ayo mabuye yabaga aconzwe mu buryo butandukanye, incuro nyinshi  akaba yari yiburungushuye, yashingwaga kuri buri metero 1.480. Hari n’ahantu ho kuruhukira, aho abagenzi bashoboraga gufatira andi mafarashi, kugura ibyokurya, ndetse rimwe na rimwe bakaharara. Tumwe mu duce twakorerwagamo ibyo byose twaje guhinduka imijyi mito.

Nyuma gato y’ivuka rya Kristo, Kayisari Awugusito yatangije gahunda yo kwita ku mihanda. Yashyizeho abategetsi babaga bashinzwe kwita ku muhanda umwe cyangwa myinshi. Yari yarashinze inkingi bitaga miliarium aureum, ikaba yari ibuye risize zahabu ryakoreshwaga mu kugaragaza ibirometero, mu gace k’i Roma aho abantu b’ingeri zose bakundaga guhurira. Iyo nkingi yariho inyuguti zisize bronze ni yo yafatwaga nk’iherezo ry’imihanda yose yo mu Butaliyani. Aho ni ho haturutse umugani uvuga ngo “inzira zose zigera i Roma.” Awugusito yari afite n’amakarita agaragaza imihanda yo mu Bwami bwa Roma. Uko bigaragara, urwo rusobe rw’imihanda rwari rukozwe mu buryo buhuje n’ibyari bikenewe, kandi rwari ruhuje n’icyo gihe.

Bamwe mu bagenzi ba kera bakoreshaga ibitabo cyangwa amakarita agaragaza aho banyura kugira ngo ingendo zabo ziborohere. Izo nyandiko zabafashaga kumenya intera yabaga iri hagati y’aho bari bugende bahagarara kandi zikabaha ibisobanuro ku birebana n’ibintu byabonekaga aho hantu. Icyakora, izo nyandiko cyangwa amakarita byarahendaga, ku buryo atari umuntu wese washoboraga kubibona.

Nubwo ibintu byabaga bimeze bityo ariko, ababwiriza b’Abakristo bateguraga ingendo ndende nyinshi kandi bakazikora. Intumwa Pawulo, kimwe na bagenzi be bo muri icyo gihe, yakundaga kunyura mu nyanja iyo yabaga agiye mu burasirazuba, kugira ngo imiyaga yo muri ako karere imworohereze urugendo (Ibyakozwe 14:25, 26; 20:3; 21:1-3). Mu nyanja ya Mediterane, mu gihe cy’impeshyi iyo miyaga yahuhaga iturutse iburengerazuba. Icyakora, iyo Pawulo yabaga agiye mu burengerazuba, incuro nyinshi yanyuraga iy’ubutaka, agakoresha imihanda y’Abaroma. Ubwo buryo ni bwo Pawulo yakurikije ategura urugendo rwa kabiri n’urwa gatatu yakoze ari umumisiyonari (Ibyakozwe 15:36-41; 16:6-8; 17:1, 10; 18:22, 23; 19:1) *. Ahagana mu mwaka wa 59, Pawulo yanyuze mu Muhanda wa Appia ajya i Roma, maze ahurira na bagenzi be bahuje ukwizera ku Iguriro rya Apiyo ryakoreragamo abantu benshi, ku birometero 74 mu majyepfo y’uburasirazuba bwa Roma. Abandi bamutegerereje hafi y’i Roma ku birometero 14, mu gace kitwaga Amatundiro Atatu, aho abantu bakundaga kuruhukira (Ibyakozwe 28:13-15). Ahagana mu mwaka wa 60, Pawulo yavuze ko ubutumwa bwiza bwari bwarabwirijwe “mu isi yose” yari izwi icyo gihe (Abakolosayi 1:6, 23). Iyo mihanda yabigizemo uruhare rukomeye.

Ku bw’ibyo rero, imihanda y’Abaroma ni cyo kintu kidasanzwe kizwi cyane mu mateka kandi cyarambye cyane, cyagize uruhare mu gukwirakwiza ubutumwa bwiza bw’Ubwami bw’Imana.—Matayo 24:14.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 14]

Ibuye Abaroma bakoreshaga berekana ibirometero

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 15]

Umuhanda wo muri Ostia ya kera, mu Butaliyani

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 15]

Ibinogo byatewe n’amagare ya kera yakururwaga n’amafarashi, muri Otirishiya

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 15]

Igice cy’umuhanda w’Abaroma kiriho amabuye yerekana ibirometero, muri Yorudaniya

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 15]

Umuhanda bitaga Via Appia mu nkengero z’umujyi wa Roma

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 16]

Ibisigazwa by’imva zari iruhande rw’umuhanda wa Via Appia inyuma y’umujyi wa Roma

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 16]

Furlo, aho umuhanda witwa Via Flaminia wanyuraga mu butaka, mu karere ka Marche

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 16 17]

Ikiraro cya Tiberius kiri ku muhanda witwa Via Emilia i Rimini, mu Butaliyani

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 17]

Pawulo yahuriye na bagenzi be bahuje ukwizera ahantu hakoreraga abantu benshi hitwaga Appii Forum cyangwa Iguriro rya Apiyo

[Aho amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 15 yavuye]

Far left, Ostia: ©danilo donadoni/Marka/age fotostock; far right, road with mileposts: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.