ANCIENT ROME

Etruscans (ca. 1000 BC-500 BC)

Roman Republic: (ca. 500 BC- -30 BC)

Roman Empire: (30 BC-The Fall of Rome (476 AD)

Roman architecture began as an adaptation of Greek architecture. Roman architecture, however, evolved with the
technology of the times and incorporated a lot of new discoveries into the buildings. They also modified the
architecture to focus equally on the inside and outside beauty. Since the architecture was used for many different types
of buildings, the style changed quite a bit. Roman religious buildings were very similar to the Greek temples, but
public buildings had to be built with a more utilitarian view. As the Romans developed arches and domes, the new
technologies became part of the buildings. This is why the arch is a big part of Roman architectural styles.

The architectural style of Rome was firmly rooted in the Hellenistic traditions. However, Roman architecture is
probably more accurately reflected in the development of new engineering skills and secular monuments than the
ideas of gods and perfection that birthed the Greek architecture. They introduced not only new ways to construct a
more efficient building but also a entirely different purpose for the building to be built. While still holding the beauty
that was so masterfully achieved by the Greek culture and adding their own practically and ingenuity, the Romans
developed an architectural style that remains to this day. The Greeks people had a very good reason, in their minds, to
build a beautiful piece of architecture; the worship of gods. Most all of the examples of Greek architecture that we
know of today were temples. The gods were the driving force behind any major architecture of the Hellenistic period.
This is not true of the Roman culture. Though the Romans did build 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.

Greek architecture was meant to be viewed as a piece of art work that was dedicated to the gods. This is easy to see
from the ornateness of the outside of the building with the pediments and metopes and the rather drabness of the inside
with the exception of the friezes. The Greek designed it as a sculpture in a sense, with all of the beauty to be viewed
from the outside. This way of thinking is turned completely around in the Roman architectural style. Although the
Roman building are beautiful on the outside, the true art lies on the inside with the many-colored walls and paintings
that gave a sense of depth to the room.

Also, the Roman architect was concerned with the lighting of the room so that the interior decorations could be seen
clearly. These things were important to the Romans because their buildings were meant to be gathering places for the
public. The basilica was one such of these types of buildings that was intended to be a gathering place for Romans
citizens to hold meeting and perhaps even courts. Bathhouses and market places know as forums are yet other
examples of the types of building that the Romans focused on making pleasing to the eye on the inside rather than the
outside. The Greeks used what is know as a “post and lintel” system of designing a building. This is basically the idea
of standing to columns up and placing a beam across them. A very simple and easy construction but on the other hand
not a very strong one. As the Roman civilization grew larger and larger the buildings they used for meetings and
markets of course had to grow too. This presented a problem with the use of columns, because the big the building, the
more columns needed to hold it up. Thus the Romans turned to engineering for the solution and the arch was born. By
using arches instead of columns and beams, the weight of the structure was spread evenly out and toward the ground
rather than directly down on the beam. This increased the amount of weight that could be supported in a single area
and thus giving more room on the inside by taking away previously necessary columns, though they did keep some
around for decoration.

This invention of course changed the mindset on the construction of regular building that would have relied of
columns, but it also was a stepping stone to another invention. The dome is nothing more than a network of arches that
form an enclosed building. This is the theory that created the Pantheon, a circular dome that was the temple to the
gods..
COMPARING ANCIENT GREEK AND ANCIENT ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

Greek Romans

Construction Methods post and beam True arch/vaults/ DOME

Materials: Marble Marble/concrete

Preferred Order Doric, Ionic Corinthian

Scale low-pitched soaring

Example (Most famous The Parthenon, located in Athens, was Pantheon - The Pantheon, located in Rome,
temple): dedicated to Athena. Ceremonies took and the ceremonies took place inside the
place outside or in front of this temple. temple itself.

spirit of moderation ostentation (flamboyant)

Some of the major differences between Roman and Greek temples:

• Roman temples were built on an elevated plateau, with a big staircase in front. This in contrast to Greek
temples which were built on a stylobate, a base of three steps.
• It is obvious which side of a Roman temple is the front side. This is not at all clear with Greek temples.
• The Greeks placed the statue of a god in the cella (a room in the temple that nobody was allowed to enter).
The Romans mostly placed the statue in the absis.
• In contrast to the Greeks, the Romans used pilasters (half columns)
• Roman temples are monopteral, meaning they have only one colonnade, whereas Greek temples can be both
monopteral as well as dipteral (having a double colonnade).
• Roman temples had columns on the front side only.

Roman Orders Composite order

Tuscan order Composite order

The Tuscan order has a very plain design, with a plain
The Composite order is a mixed order, combining the
shaft, and a simple capital, base, and frieze. It is a
volutes of the Ionic with the leaves of the Corinthian
simplified adaptation of the Doric order by the
order. Until the Renaissance it was not ranked as a
Romans. The Tuscan order is characterized by an
separate order. Instead it was considered as a late
unfluted shaft and a capital that only consist of an
Roman form of the Corinthian order. The column of
echinus and an abacus. In proportions it is similar to
the Composite order is ten diameters high
the Doric order, but overall it is significantly plainer.
The column is normally seven diameters high.
Compared to the other orders, the Tuscan order looks
the most solid.
Roman Structures
Basilicas
Basilicas were public buildings. A basilica was a centre of business. But also the administration of justice was done
there. After some time every town and city with some self-respect had a basilica.
A basilica had to be located at a Forum according to the architectural prescriptions of Vetruvius.

The Basilica had the additional advantage that it could protect people against the heat of summer. This may have been
a reason for the increased popularity of the basilica.
At the time of the Romans, the basilicas didn't have a religious function. Later when the Christians started using the
basilica as example for their churches, the basilicas got a religious function.

State Buildings
Next to the religious buildings - temples - the public buildings - basilicae - you could also find administrative or state
buildings at the Forum. In the first century BC, and the first century AD, the Forum was the administrative centre of
the Roman Empire. So a building arose in 44BC where the senate had their meetings. It was called the curia. Julius
Caesar was the initiator and therefore it was given the name Curia Julia.

Religious Buildings
The Romans were very good for their gods. They built a large number of big templesfor them.

Triumphal Arches
For the Romans the triumphal arch was undoubtedly the best means to show their invincibility in wars. They were
monuments which were meant to remind future generations and ages of the great victories of the Romans, not so much
of the single Roman warriors but of the great emperor himself

Aqueducts were one of Rome's new devices described as "indispensable in urban life."(Stierlin 48) The aqueducts
were one of Rome's many revolutionary devices. In these science, architecture and art were combined to bring the
cities the water they need to survive.

Another revolution is the Roman network of roads. The Romans were the first civilization to make well-designed
roads. Around the time of Augustus the major roads were constructed to keep the incredibly large empire linked so
it would not fall. The Romans added a number of things to the basic idea of roads, such as archways, city streets, and
arch bridges. This greatly increased the ability to build because of the way roads were laid out.

One of the most famous Roman projects is the Flavian Amphitheater in Rome. Commonly known as the Coliseum
this massive stadium had seating for about 50,000 people, a feat that is amazing considering the tools used for
construction. Construction started in 69 AD by Vespasian, and was finished in 80 AD when his son Titus inaugurated
it. On the outside the building was made of travertine, "a creamy colored carbonate material." (Michael
Raczynski)On the inside it was made of tufa, and the ramping were made of concrete. The quality and advanced
designs were easily viewed as superior because it has lasted so many years, through earthquakes and wars.

Each town's focus was the forum , or open public square, surrounded by colonnades and the principal buildings in
axial arrangement.

The baths , while probably derived from Greek gymnasia, were constructed on a totally unprecedented scale, the
complexity of their plan competing with the luxury of their detail. In the typical Roman dwelling, the rooms were
grouped about the atrium, which, by means of an opening in its roof, also served as a court. Multistory houses in the
larger cities, called insulae, anticipated modern apartment buildings, as can be seen for example at Ostia (3d cent.
AD). A third type of Roman dwelling was the luxurious country villa built by wealthy citizens to escape the congestion

and squalor of the cities.

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