Roman Architecture

Module 5

ancient roman architecture

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Three distinct phases

01. period of kings (753 - 510 bc)

02. republican rome (509 - 31 BC)

03. imperial rome (31 bc - ad 476)

Romans

Romans continued architectural traditions set by Greek architects however, they were also great innovators, and they developed some new construction techniques and materials, which allowed them to create amazing new buildings never seen before.Changes in Roman society contributed to developing new types of buildings such as the basilica, triumphal arch, monumental aqueduct, amphitheater, granary building, and residential housing block. (Cartwright, 2018)

Architectural orders

• Romans continued to use classical Greek orders Doric, Ionic and Corinthian
• Corinthian ordered was most widely used and with even more details than before
• Romans also developed two new orders
• Composite order was a mix of Ionic and corinthian order
• The Tuscan column was an adaptation of Doric order, but with smaller capital and base, it was often used in domestic architecture
• Romans used columns not only as a support but also as purely decorative elements (Cartwright, 2018)

Figure 1: Various Architectural Column Orders (Woodward, 2012)

Materials and Techniques

Five Roman inventions that changed history

1. Concrete - it was a huge invention for that time! It allowed Romans to build pretty much anything, big or small. Lots of Roman buildings are still standing, which shows us how durable and quality concrete was.
2. The Roman Arch - it overcame the lintel and posts building method problems by distributing weight load, but it also lowered the cost of construction. While they didn't invent an arch, they perfected it and put it into everyday use.
3. Aqueducts - they were used to bring running freshwater to roman cities. Some European cities still depend on Roman aqueducts to get the water!
4. The Dome - Romans used all their knowledge to build Pantheon, one of the most impressive buildings in the world with a massive, almost 5000 tons dome! They took the arch and made it 3D!
5. Roads - they built over 53 000 miles of roads over three continents. Roads were built by Roman soldiers, and they made a big difference when it comes to trade and also contributed to tourism development. (Roman Engeneering, 2012)

Famous Roman buildings

Figure 2: Artist Impression of Pantheon (Mohawk Games, 2020)

Figure 3: The Colosseum in Rome (West, 2019)

• Colosseum
• Rome, Italy
• 80 BC

• The Pantheon
• Rome, Italy
• 128 AD

Roman Buildings in Croatia

Figure 4: Diocletian Palace at Night (n.d.)

I am from Croatia, and a few Roman buildings can be seen there. The most famous ones are probably Diocletian Palace, in Split, and the Pula Arena, the roman amphitheater. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to see the arena, but I did visit the Diocletian Palace, and it is very impressive and still a part of everyday lives for many people who live there!

Figure 5: The Pula Arena (n.d.)

References

Cartwright, M. (2018, March 14). Roman Architecture. https://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Architecture/ "Roman Engineering and Architecture." Study.com, 30 [Diocletian Palace at Night]. [Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.diocletianspalace.org/ Mohawk Games. (2020, October 14). Artist Impression of pantheon. [Online image]. https://www.ancient.eu/image/12897/artists-impression-of-the-pantheon/ Roman Engineering and Architecture. (2012, September 30). Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/roman-engineering-and-architecture.html. [The pula arena]. [Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.pulainfo.hr/where/arena-amphitheater-2 West, W. (2019, November 24). The Colosseum in Rome. [Online image]. https://www.ancient.eu/image/11502/the-colosseum-in-rome/ Woodward, S. (2012, October 27). Architectural Column Orders. [Online image]. https://www.ancient.eu/image/948/architectural-column-orders/