Frontinus--a project manager from the Roman Empire era

Article September 2011

Project Management Journal

Walker, Derek H. T. | Dart, Christopher J.

How to cite this article:

Walker, D. H. T. & Dart, C. J. (2011). Frontinus—a project manager from the Roman Empire era. Project Management Journal, 42(5), 4–16.
Several project management authorities cite ancient civilizations as having practiced a form of project management while developing the great building and infrastructure projects of antiquity. We compare selected project management practices undertaken almost 2,000 years ago with current literature on best project management practice. We take a case study approach focusing on a person who could be seen to have taken a project manager, project sponsor, or champion role. This paper seeks to answer three questions: (1) Have the best project management practices for initiating, funding, and implementing infrastructure projects changed fundamentally over the past 2,000 years? (2) If so, in what ways? and (3) What implications may this have for current project management practices?
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