Chapter 9.2

 Roman emperors were constantly building and rebuilding their cities of their empire.  As long as there was money to do so, the emperors had baths, circuses, forums, and amphitheaters for the enjoyment of the people.  By providing these enjoyments the emperor hoped to maintain popularity.

 Baths were among the most popular public buildings.  Baths = vast enclosed structures that contained libraries, lecture rooms, gymnasiums, shops, restaurants, and pleasant walkways.  These features made the baths a social and cultural center as well as a place for hygiene.  In many ways they are like the shopping center of today.

Most famous bath built by the emperor Caracalla. Sprawled over 30 acres and included a bath house that measured 750 ft x 380 ft. A huge central hall was spanned with concrete groin vaults.

 Groin Vault = formed when two barrel vaults meets at right angle  Allowed builders to cover a very large area.  Allowed the placement of windows which barrel vaults could not allow.

 Although Romans enjoyed many kinds of sports but chariot races were easily the favorite.  As many as 150,000 people would attend chariot races held at the Circus Maximus. Circus Maximus, Rome

 Almost as popular as the chariot races were the armed contests.  Covers over 6 acres  It lays in ruins because past rulers carried off stone from the building to construct new buildings.  The three different styles of columns can be seen on each of the levels.

 80 arched opening allow visitors to enter and exit the Colosseum so efficiently that it could be emptied in minutes.  Once could accommodate 50,000 people  Beneath the floors of the Colosseum were compartments and passages serving as a place to cage the animals, barracks for gladiators, rooms to house machinery used to raise and lower the stage sets and performers.

 Romans revived the Etruscan spectacle in which slaves were pitted against each other in the battle to the death in front of hundreds of spectators.  Not all Romans approved of the battles but they were so popular that they feared to say anything.  As many as 5,000 pairs of gladiators would fight and up to 11,000 animals would be killed each day.

 Roman emperors had great community pride, and in addition to providing buildings of leisure, they built public squares and civic centers.  Magnificent structures were built including meeting halls, temples to the Roman gods, markets, and basilicas.  Architects and engineers combined their talents to erect huge buildings that were not only structurally sound but also beautifully designed.

 Designed as a temple dedicated to all of the Roman gods but later converted to a Christian church.  The building has been in continuous use since it would built.  Made of brick and concrete the dome rises 144 feet above the floor.  The diameter is also 144 feet.

 The inside is divided in to three sections.  First – the lowest has 7 niches that contain statues or alters dedicated to the Roman gods of the heavens.  Niche = recesses in the wall  Second – contains the 12 signs of the Zodiac  Third –the dome represents the heavens and is covered in coffers which supply decoration but also lessen the weight of the dome.  Coffers = indented panels

 The interior is well illuminated although there are no windows  Walls up to 20 feet thick are needed to support the massive dome.  A 30 ft opening allows sunlight to light the interior of the dome.  To solve the problem that rain posed, the floor is slightly raised allowing water to run down a drain in the middle of the floor.

 Basilica = a spacious, rectangular building made to hold a large number of people, built by the Romans  Combined many of the architectural advances that the Romans had made.  They served as models for generations of Christian church builders. St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome Italy

 Rows of slender columns divide the space in to what is called the nave.  Nave = a long, wide center aisle  The roof over the center isle is usually taller to allow for the addition of windows to let in light

 Romans loved celebrations and often marked military victories by building a monument to the victory  triumphal arch = a heavily decorated arch  The Arch of Constantine is the most famous of these arches.  The important generals and officers would walk through the middle arch while foot solders would march through the smaller side arches.

 Baths = vast enclosed structures that contained libraries, lecture rooms, gymnasiums, shops, restaurants, and pleasant walkways  Groin Vault = formed when two barrel vaults meets at right angles  Nave = a long, wide center aisle  Triumphal Arch = a heavily decorated arch

 The Baths of Caracalla  The Pantheon (Interior and Exterior)  Floor Plan of a Basilica  The Colleseum  The Circus Maximus  The Arch of Constantine