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Roman Architecture
Valentin Radushev
Roman Architecture
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The Architecture of Ancient Rome adopted the external
Greek architecture for their own purposes, creating a new
architectural style. The Romans absorbed Greek and
Phoenician influence, apparent in many aspects closely
related to architecture; for example, this can be seen in the
introduction and use of the Triclinium in Roman villas as a
place and manner of dining. The Romans, similarly, were
indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who
supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future
architectural solutions, such as hydraulics and in the
construction of arches.
Social elements 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,
for example, enabled them to achieve unprecedented
successes in the construction of imposing structures for public
use. Examples include the aqueducts of Rome, the Baths of
Diocletian and the Baths of Caracalla, the basilicas and
Colosseum. They were reproduced at smaller scale in most
important towns and cities in the Empire. Some surviving
structures are almost complete, such as the town walls of
Lugo in Hispania Tarraconensis, or northern Spain.
Political propaganda demanded that these buildings should be
made to impress as well as perform a public function.] The
Romans didn't feel restricted by Greek aesthetic axioms alone
in order to achieve these objectives.The Pantheon is a
supreme example of this, particularly in the version rebuilt by
Hadrian, which remains perfectly preserved, and which over
the centuries has served, particularly in the Western
Hemisphere, as the inspiration for countless public buildings.
The same emperor left his mark on the landscape of northern
Britain when he built a wall to mark the limits of the empire,
and after further conquests in Scotland, the Antonine wall was
built to replace Hadrian's Wall.
The Arch and the Dome
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The Roman use of the arch and their improvements in
the use of concrete and bricks facilitated the building of
the many aqueducts throughout the empire, such as the
magnificent Aqueduct of Segovia and the eleven
aqueducts in Rome itself, such as Aqua Claudia and
Anio Novus. The same idea produced numerous
bridges, such as the still used bridge at Mérida!
The dome permitted construction of vaulted ceilings and
provided large covered public space such as the public
baths and basilicas. The Romans based much of their
architecture on the dome, such as Hadrian's Pantheon in
the city of Rome, the Baths of Diocletian and the Baths
of Caracalla.
Art historians such as in the 20's identified the Roman
architectural innovation as being the Triumphal Arch and
it is poignant to see how this symbol of power on earth
was transformed and utilised within the Christian
basilicas when the Roman Empire of the West was on
its last legs: The arch was set before the altar to
symbolize the triumph of Christ and the after life. It is in
their impressive aqueducts that we see the arch
triumphant, especially in the many surviving examples,
such as the Pont du Gard, the aqueduct at Segovia and
the remains of the Aqueducts of Rome itself. Their
survival is testimony to the durability of their materials
and design.
The Romans first adopted the arch from the Greeks, and
implemented it in their own building. An arch is a very
strong shape as no single spot holds all the weight and
is still used in architecture today.
Housing
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Although less visible level to the modern observer,
ancient Romans developments in housing and public
hygiene are impressive, especially given their day and
age. Clear examples are public and private baths and
latrines, and under-floor heating in the form of the
hypocaust, double glazing (examples in Ostia Antica),
and piped water(examples in Pompeii).
Possibly most impressive from an urban planning point
of view are the multi-story apartment blocks called
insulae that catered to a wide range of residential
situations. These buildings, solely intended for large
scale accommodation, could reach several floors in
height. Insulates were often dangerous, unhealthy, and
prone to fires. There are examples in cities like the
Roman port town of Ostia, that date back to the reign of
Trajan and show how Roman architects met residential
needs in a variety of situations.
As an example, consider the housing on : a large-scale
real estate development that catered to up-and-coming
middle class entrepreneurs. Rather like modern semidetached housing, these residences had repeated floor
plans intended for easy, economical, and repetitive
construction. Internal spaces were designed to be
relatively low-cost, yet functional and with decorative
elements reminiscent of the detached houses and villas
to which the buyers might aspire later in their lives. Each
apartment had its own terrace and private entrance.
External walls were in "Opus Reticulatum" and interiors
in "Opus Incertum", which would then be plastered and
sometimes painted. Some existing examples show that
a popular choice of interior decor was to paint panels in
alternating red and rainbow.
Common buildings
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Most Roman cities had at least one Thermae,
which were centers of public bathing and
socialization. Baths were extremely important
for Romans. They stayed there for several
hours and went daily. Wealthier Romans were
accompanied by one or more slaves. After
paying a fee, they would strip naked and wear
sandals to protect their feet from heated floors.
Slaves carried their masters' towels and got
them drinks. Before bathing, patrons exercised.
They did things such as running, mild weightlifting, wrestling, and swimming. After
exercising, servants covered their masters in oil
and scraped it off with a strigil (a scraper made
of wood or bone) which cleaned off the dirt.
Roman bath-houses were also provided for
private villas, town houses and forts; these
were also called thermae. They were supplied
with water from an adjacent river or stream, or
more normally, by an aqueduct. The design of
baths is discussed by Vitruvius in De
Architectura.
Common buildings
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Roman architecture was sometimes determined
based upon the requirements of Roman
religion. For example, the Pantheon was an
amazing engineering feat created for religious
purposes, and its design (the large dome and
open spaces) was made to fit the requirements
of the religious services. Some of the most
impressive public buildings are the
amphitheatres, over 220 being known and
many of which are well preserved, such as that
at Arles, as well as its progenitor, the
Colosseum in Rome. They were used for
gladiatorial contests, public displays, public
meetings and bullfights, the last of which
survives in Spain. They are among the most
impressive remains of the Roman empire at its
height, and many of them are still used for
public displays and performances.
Every city of some size maintained a forum. In
addition to its standard function as a
marketplace, a forum was a gathering place of
great social significance, and often the scene of
diverse activities, including political discussions
and debates, rendezvous, meetings, et cetera.
Lighthouses
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Many lighthouses were built
around the Mediterranean
and around the shores of
their expanding empire,
including the Tower of
Hercules at A Coruña in
northern Spain, a structure
which still survives to this
day. A smaller lighthouse at
Dover, England also still
exists as a ruin about half
the height of the original.
The light would have been
provided by a fire at the top
of the structure.
Materials
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Tile covered concrete quickly supplanted marble as the primary
building material and more daring buildings soon followed, with great
pillars supporting broad arches and domes rather than dense lines of
columns suspending flat architraves. The freedom of concrete also
inspired the colonnade screen, a row of purely decorative columns in
front of a load-bearing wall. In smaller-scale architecture, concrete's
strength freed the floor plan from rectangular cells to a more freeflowing environment. Most of these developments are ably described
by Vitruvius writing in the first century AD in his work De Architectura.
Frigidarium of Baths of Diocletian, today Santa Maria degli Angeli
Roman architects invented Roman concrete and used it in buildings
where it could stand on its own and support a great deal of weight.
The first use of concrete by the Romans was in the town of Cosa
sometime after 273 BC. Ancient Roman concrete was a mixture of
lime mortar, pozzolana, water, and stones, and stronger than
previously-used concrete. The ancient builders placed these
ingredients in wooden frames where it hardened and bonded to a
facing of stones or (more frequently) bricks. When the framework
was removed, the new wall was very strong with a rough surface of
bricks or stones. This surface could be smoothed and faced with an
attractive stucco or thin panels of marble or other coloured stones
called revetment. Concrete construction proved to be more flexible
and less costly than building solid stone buildings. The materials
were readily available and not difficult to transport. The wooden
frames could be used more than once, allowing builders to work
quickly and efficiently.
On return from campaigns in Greece, the general Sulla returned with
what is probably the most well-known element of the early imperial
period: the mosaic, a decoration of colourful chips of stone inset into
cement. This tiling method took the empire by storm in the late first
century and the second century and in the Roman home joined the
well known mural in decorating floors, walls, and grottoes in
geometric and pictorial designs.
Though most would consider concrete the Roman contribution most
relevant to the modern world, the Empire's style of architecture can
still be seen throughout Europe and North America in the arches and
domes of many governmental and religious buildings.
Modern Influence
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Today, Roman influence can be seen among
countless buildings such as banks, government
buildings, houses, business buildings, etc. The
reason of Roman culture resonating among
modern building styles is due to the structural
genius of the dome and the arch. When a
building has substantial weight bearing down
on lower levels, columns can easily support the
weight when it is distributed through an arch,
reducing the strain significantly. The arch, for
this reason, is the most famous and most
modernly used aspect of Roman architecture
and can be seen nearly anywhere. The Dome
is not used as frequently among modern
buildings, but it is widely used to show
prominence and elegance. In Washington,
D.C., Domes are a common theme among the
government buildings, originally meant to
imitate the grandeur of ancient Rome. Modern
use of Ancient Roman Architecture is most
commonly used as an allusion to Ancient Rome
itself, as a vast majority of people recall the
Roman Empire as a colossal, dominant, and
extremely influential nation. To allude to Ancient
Rome is to project the image of greatness and
influence.
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