History of
Architecture
lesson 4
ROMAN
March 15, 2019
The Historical Timeline of Architecture
Roman
Roman
History
Many city on Italian Peninsula
From 800 -300 BC, among all cities in Italy, Rome became the most
powerful
334 – 264 BC, Rome conquered all of Italy and established one of
the strongest empires in history
Was centrally-located on the northern Mediterranean
Not a sea-faring people
Depended on conquest by land to extend their power
Fought with Carthage in North Africa for control of the
Mediterranean
Hannibal led the Carthaginian army and its 38 elephants across the
Alps into Rome
Roman
Two Periods:
Etuscan or Etruscan (750 BC to 146 BC)
Roman (146 BC to 365 AD)
Developed constitutional republic
Farmers & soldiers, concerned with efficiency and justice
For 500 years Rome was ruled by elected leaders called consuls
In 27 BC, Augustus crowned himself Emperor with total power
Succession of military dictatorships of which Julius Caesar was most
famous
Empire reached its greatest size in 114 AD under Emperor Trajan -
4000km wide and 60 million inhabitants
Used natural frontiers such as mountain ranges and rivers to define
their empire
Roman
Roman (146 BC to 365 AD)
Otherwise they built fortified walls, such as Hadrian’s Wall in England
Provinces run by Governors
Latin was the official language
Applied roman system of laws
Was the intermediary in spreading art and civilization in Europe, West
Asia and North Africa
Religion
Roman mythology slowly derived attributes from those of
Greek gods
Polytheistic
worship of or belief in multiple deities usually assembled into a pantheon
of gods and goddesses, along with their own religions and rituals
Roman
GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY and CLIMATE
Italian peninsula: Central and commanding position on Mediterranean
sea
Temperate in the north
Sunny in central Italy
Almost tropical in south
Architectural Character
Etruscans were great builders
Large-scale undertakings, like city walls and sewers
Draining marshes, controlling rivers and lakes by using channels
Romans had great constructive ability
Complex, of several stories
Utilitarian, practical, economic use of materials (Function Over Aesthetic)
Roman
Materials
Stone: tufa, peperino, travertine, lava stone,
sand, gravel
Marble, mostly white
Imported marble from all parts of the Empire
to river Tiber
Earth for terra cotta and bricks
Etruscans introduced the use of concrete (300
AD to 400 AD):
Stone or brick rubble with pozzolana, a thick
volcanic earth material as mortar used for
walls, vaults, domes
Concrete allowed Romans to build vaults of a
magnitude never equaled until 19th century
steel construction
Roman
Construction System
Adapted columnar and trabeated style of Greeks
Arch and vault system started by Etruscans - combined use of column,
beam and arch (arctuated)
Were able to cover large spaces without the aid of intermediate support
Parts of Arch
Roman
Types of Vaults
Wagon or Barrel or Tunnel Vault
is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve
(or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given
distance
Semi-circular or wagon-headed, borne on two parallel walls
throughout its length
Roman
Types of Vaults
Wagon Vault with Intersecting Vault
When two semicircular barrel vaults of the same diameter cross one
another
their intersection (a true ellipse) is known as a Groin, down which the
thrust of the vault is carried to the cross walls
Roman
Types of Vaults
Cross Vault
Formed by the intersection of two
semi-circular vaults of equal span -
used over square apartment or bays
Sometimes the arches of groin vaults
are pointed instead of round
Roman
Types of Vaults
Hemispherical Dome or Cupola
Used over circular structures
element of architecture that resembles
the hollow upper half of a sphere
Roman
Types of Vaults
Wagon or Barrel or Tunnel Vault Wagon Vault with Intersecting Vault
Cross Vault Hemispherical Dome or Cupola
Roman
Decorations
Mosaics
Thousands of small stones or glass
tiles set in mortar to form a pattern
often depicting still lives and
occasionally historical or
mythological scenes set in a wider
geometric pattern
introduced exquisite mosaics in their
domestic architecture and in the
places of worship
Roman
Decorations
Opus Incertum
small stones, loose pattern resembling
polygonal walling
Opus Quadratum
rectangular blocks, with or without mortar
joints
Opus Reticulatum
Net-like effect, with fine joints running
diagonally
Opus Mixtum
The first three types is put together in one
facade
Roman
GREEK
ORDERS
Tuscan Order
Simplified version of
Doric order
About 7 diameters high
With a base, unfluted
shaft, moulded capital,
plain entablature
the solidest and least
ornate – Sebastiano Serlio
Roman
Composite Order
Evolved in 100 AD,
combining prominent
volutes of Ionic with
acanthus of Corinthian
Most decorative
Is a mixed order,
combining the volutes of
Ionic order capital with
the acanthus leaves of
the Corinthian order
Roman
Structures
Rectangular Temple
Maison Caree, Nimes
Circular Temple Circular Temple
The Pantheon The Pantheon
Roman
Structures
French for "square
house“
The Maison Carrée
is an example of
Vitruvian
architecture
Rectangular Temple
Maison Caree, Nimes
Roman
Structures
From Greek word meaning "temple of
every god"
is a former Roman temple, now a
church, in Rome, Italy
Oculus
Coffers - is a series of sunken panels in the
shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a
ceiling, soffit or vault.
Circular Temple Circular Temple
The Pantheon The Pantheon
Roman
The Pantheon
Roman
The Forum
Roman cities were well-planned with straight streets crossing the town in a
grid pattern
In the town center was an open space called the forum
Surrounded by a hall, offices, law courts and shops
Roman Forum Roman Forum @ present times
Roman
Basilicas
was a large public building where business or legal matters could be transacted
Basilica in the Forum, Pompeii
Basilica of Septimius Severus, Lepcis Magna
The Basilica - Plan Interior Exterior
Roman
Thermae Or Roman Bath
Complex of rooms designed for public bathing, relaxation, and social activity
that was developed to a high degree of sophistication
Romans liked to keep clean and fit
Built elaborate public baths throughout the empire
For as many as 30 men and women in the open
Parts of a Thermae
Apodyteria - dressing room
Laconicum (Sudatorium) - sweat room,
rubbing with
oil
Tepidarium - warm bath
Frigidarium - cold bath
Unctuaria - oils and perfumes room Baths Of Diocletian
Roman
Domus
was the type of house occupied by the upper
classes and some wealthy freedmen during
the republican and imperial eras
included multiple rooms, indoor courtyards,
gardens and beautifully painted walls that
were elaborately laid out
Vestibulum (entrance hall) led into a large central hall
Atrium which was the focal point of the domus and
contained a statue of an altar to the household gods
Cubicula (bedrooms),
Triclinium (dining room) where guests could recline
on couches and eat dinner whilst reclining,
Tablinum (living room or study) and
Tabernae (shops on the outside, facing the street)
Roman
Insulae
3- or 4- storey tenement type
buildings
Prototype for the modern
condominium
ground-level floor of the insula was
used for tabernae, shops and
businesses
with the living space upstairs
might have a name, usually
referring to the owner of the
building
like domus, had running water and
sanitation
were built in timber, mud brick, and
later primitive concrete
Roman
Circus
was Rome's largest venue for ludi or public games
connected to roman religious festival
Circus Maximus, Rome
Ancient roman chariot
racing stadium and
mass entertainment
venue located
in Rome, Italy
was the first and
largest stadium in
ancient Rome
Roman
Theaters & Amphitheaters
were major public venues,
circular or oval in shape, and
used for events such
as gladiator combats, chariot
races, venationes (animal slayings)
and executions
The Colosseum, Rome
Or the Flavian Amphitheater
Roman
Triumphal Arches
is a monumental structure in the shape of
an archway with one or more arched
passageways, often designed to span a
road
consists of two massive piers connected
by an arch, crowned with a Arch of Constantine
flat entablature or attic on which a statue
might be mounted or which bears
commemorative inscriptions
structure is often decorated with
carvings, sculpted reliefs and dedications
symbolized perfection and triumph in
Roman society
Arch of Titus
Roman
Aqueducts
Carried water in pipes from the
country to the heart of the city
supplying public baths, latrines,
fountains and private households
also provided water for mining
Segovia Aqueduct, Spain
operations, milling, farms and
gardens
constructed along a slight downward
gradient within conduits of stone,
brick or concrete
Most aqueduct systems included
sedimentation tanks, sluices and
distribution tanks to regulate the
supply at need.
1 foot for every 2000 feet slope Pont du Gard, Nimes, France
Roman
end
