Greek and Roman Architecture

Art 101

Mark Best
 Roman architecture developed from an understanding of the Hellenistic architecture of
Greece.

However, Roman architecture shows the influence of the development of new engineering
skills and secular monuments, whereas Greek architecture showed more the influence of gods
and ideas of physical perfection in the development of their architecture.

The Romans developed not only new ways to build more efficient buildings but also a
entirely different purpose for the building to be built. While still showing the beauty that was
skillfully achieved by the Greeks and adding their own practically and ingenuity, the Romans
developed an architectural style that remains to this day. (e.g. in Bath, England, you can see the
original Roman warm spring baths, around which the upper crust English built impressive,
Roman-style architecture during their own Palladian era.)

The Greeks people built beautiful architecture for the worship of their gods, and a large
percentage of the ancient Greek architecture that we still know of today were temples. The gods
were the driving force behind any major architecture of the Hellenistic period.

Though the Romans built temples to their gods, the Roman style was more predominantly
seen in public dwellings and social gathering areas, such as basilicas and forums, than in their
temples. In fact, a majority of the temples that the Romans built were nothing more than copies
of Greek temples, with the exception of the domed Pantheon.

Another major difference between Greek and Roman architecture was the purpose behind the
design. Greek architecture was meant to be viewed as a piece of art that would give pleasure to
the gods. This was obvious in the ornate exteriors of the buildings; in the pediments and
metopes and the relative drabness of the interiors. The Greek designed buildings as a sculpture in
a sense, with all of the beauty to be viewed from the outside.

Roman architectural style turns this around. Although their buildings are beautiful on the
outside, the inside is equally beautiful, with the many-colored walls and paintings, and a use of
space concerned with the lighting of the room so that the interior decorations could be seen
clearly. Roman buildings were meant to be gathering places for the public e.g the basilica was
built to be a gathering place for Romans citizens to hold meetings, an people also met in large
civic buildings such as bathhouses and market places know as forums that were as aesthetically
pleasing inside as out