LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY

Ancient Rome begin as a group of villages along the Tiber River (Italy).
Around 750 B.C. these villages united to form the city of Rome.

The Alps in the north and the Apennines along Italy are the mountain ranges that Romans used the hills for defense.

Romans were able to grow a wide variety of crops because of the good climate.
GEOGRAPHY

The development of civilization is affected by geography. Rome

did not spring into being as a power on the Italian peninsula.

It began as a tiny village along the Tiber River.

It was an excellent location, with seven hills offering a natural

defensive barrier.

The Tiber River gave these early settlers access to fresh water for
drinking and bathing, as well as a waterway for trade, and food to
eat. The flatland, on the other side of the Tiber River, was perfect
for farmland. The soil was good so crops could be grown easily.

The area along the Tiber River, in the seven hills, offered what
they needed. They started their city on the top of one hill. They
walled around it. As they expanded, they also expanded their
wall, until one wall encircled all seven hills.
INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

This map reveals the Roman Empire at the time of

Trajan's death in 116 AD.

Examining the history of the Roman Empire Rome was

actually first a Republic and then an Empire, and when
Rome reached the height of its prosperity, it became the
greatest empire the world has ever known.

Roman architects struggled to achieve two overriding aims:

1- to demonstrate the grandeur and power of Rome,
2- also improving the life of their fellow citizens.
GEOGRAPHY
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

• Roman architects absorbed a great deal from Etruscan art and design
and had huge respect for Greek architecture.

• They also learned from Egyptian pyramid architecture and stonework.

• The Romans were above all things a practical people.

• They brought engineering into the service of architecture.

• They made the arch and vault the basis of their system of design.

• They systematized their methods of construction so that soldiers and

barbarians could execute the rough mass of their buildings.

• They formulated the designing of the decorative details so that artisans

of moderate skill could execute them with good effect.
BUILDING MATERIALS

Long before concrete made its appearance on the building scene

in Rome, the Romans utilized a volcanic stone native to Italy
called tufa to construct their buildings.

During the empire, the most common stone used for building was
travertine because it was more durable and its off-white color
made it an acceptable substitute for marble.

Marble was used only for facing or decoration, or sometimes

in mosaics.

Colored marbles and stones like alabaster and granite, were

also popular.
CONCRETE

Roman concrete (opus caementicium) was typically made from Hydraulic

cement.
a mixture of lime mortar, water, sand and pozzolana, a fine, ochre-colored
volcanic earth, which set well even under water.

The discovery of slow-drying concrete made with pozzolana sand created a

revolution in architectural design.

This allowed walls to be constructed of mainly concrete.

The result was strong structures that could be formed in any desirable shape.

The volcanic sand used in Roman concrete and mortar made their buildings
last for so long.
CONCRETE

The Roman Pantheon, a huge concrete building that has endured for nearly 2,000 years was made entirely out
of concrete, without the reinforcing support of structural steel.
CONSTRUCTION METHODS

Since lintels are heavy, the interior spaces of buildings could only be limited in size.
Much of the interior space had to be devoted to supporting heavy loads.

Roman architecture differed fundamentally from this tradition

because of the discovery of concrete, arches and vaulting.

Romans became increasingly concerned with shaping interior

space rather than filling it with structural supports.

As a result, the inside of Roman buildings were as impressive as

their exteriors
THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES

Factors such as wealth and high population densities in cities forced the
ancient Romans to discover new (architectural) solutions of their own.

The use of vaults and arches, together with a sound knowledge of building
materials, enabled them to achieve unprecedented successes in the
construction of imposing structures for public use.

Romans were able to create many impressive building and structures.

THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES

An Arch is a very strong shape as no single spot holds all the weight.

Romans used arches to support the things they built.

THE ARCHES
The arches were modified greatly by the Romans so that they could carry large amount of weights.

It was usually build by stones, brick or concrete

THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES
THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES
THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES
THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES
THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES
ROMAN TOWN PLANNING
Cities were the center of Roman life.
• Need for infrastructure.
• Water and sewer system.
• Transport and defense.
• Public spaces and markets.
• Linking through paved roads.
THE ROMAN ORDERS
To meet the demands of Roman taste the Etruscan column was retained with
its simple entablature.

The Doric and Ionic were adopted in a modified form.

A regular system of proportions for all these five orders was gradually evolved.

Roman ionic order

THE ROMAN ORDERS
Monolithic shafts were preferred to those built up of superposed drums.

The fluting was omitted and when hard and semi- precious stone was the material, it was
highly polished to bring out its color.

Another radical departure from Greek usage was the mounting of columns on pedestals .

The general use of engaged columns as wall-decorations or buttresses.

columns continued to be used even when they were no longer structurally necessary. This
was to give buildings a traditional and familiar look
THE ROMAN ORDERS

The Greek anta was developed into the Roman pilaster or flattened wall-column.

Every free column, or range of columns perpendicular to the façade, had

its corresponding pilaster to support the wall-end of the architrave.
THE COLUMNS

Roman Doric, Ionic and Corinthian Orders were slenderer and more ornamented.
Columns tended to be left unfluted.

The Tuscan column was another adaptation of a traditional idea which was a form of Doric column but with a smaller
capital, more slender shaft without flutes, and a molded base.
THE COLUMNS

The Corinthian order was particularly favored and many Roman buildings
THE FORUM
THE FORUM
The Forum is a rectangular plaza surrounded by several important government buildings at the center of the city of Rome.
Roman cities were typically focused on the forum.
THE FORUM
AQUEDUCTS AND BRIDGES

Aqueducts are massive structures, with single, double, or triple

tiers of arches, were designed to carry fresh water to urban
centers from sources sometimes many kilometers away.
THE FORUM

The forum is the civic, religious and economic heart of the city.

Major temples were located, as well as other important

shrines, the basilica (a law court), and other official meeting
places for the town council.
BASILICAS
The basilica was adopted by the Christian church but was conceived by the Romans as a place for any large gathering,
with the most common use being law courts.

They were usually built along one side of the forum, which was enclosed on all sides by colonnades.

The basilica’s long hall and roof were supported by columns and piers on all sides.

The columns created a central nave flanked on all sides by an aisle.

BASILICAS
BATHS
BATHS
THEATRES

It is similar to the Greek but it is not located in a

mountain but completely built.

It has a semi-circular scenery.

THEATRES
AMPHITHEATRES
TRIUMPHAL ARCHES

The commemorative arches, or arches of triumph, were a sort of ceremonial

architecture invented by the Romans in their passion for the show of power,
to commemorate an important event or military campaign.
TEMPLES

It copied the Greek model.

It has only one portico and a main façade.
The cella is totally closed.
It is built on a podium
Instead of having stairs all around, it only has them in the main façade.