Roman Architecture

Introduction Roman culture combined different influences: Influenced by several primitive cultures from the area in which Rome was founded (they were peasants, warriors, brigands and pirates) From the Etruscan civilization: urban, engineering and technology From the Greeks: they aimed to imitate much of this model of society

Introduction Results: From Italian origins: From Etruscan origins: Practical sense (functionalism) Military expansion (imperialism) From Etruscan origins: Technology Engineering From Greek origins: Philosophy Literature Art

Introduction General characteristics of Roman Art and Architecture It is practical and utilitarian Focused on public works and engineering Monumental to show Roman power Great technical advances It is commemorative and propagandistic

General Characteristics Building systems: Lintelled: Copied from the Greeks Spaces are closed by straight lines Vaulted Taken from the Etruscan Use of Arches and Barrel Vault Use of Domes Strong walls so that they do not use external supports

General Characteristics Materials: Limestone Concrete Mortar Arches: They used half point or semicircular arches Lintels could be used above these arches

General Characteristics Greek Architectural orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, were used more in a decorative than practical manner. Romans used two more orders: Composite Tuscan

Roman Town Planning Cities were the center of Roman life Infrastructure was necessary: Water and sewer systems Transport and defense Public spaces and markets Psychological effect: power and control Linking cities through paved roads was essential to further assert Roman power

Roman Town Planning The plan of the city was based on Roman military camps. It had two main axes Cardo N-S Decumanus E-W The intersection of these two main streets was the Forum The rest of the space was divided into squares called insulae or city blocks.

Roman Town Planning The most important part of the city was the Forum, where political, economic, administrative, social and religious activity were centered. Main buildings were in this Forum In big cities there were theaters, circuses, and amphitheaters.

Paved Roads Paved roads were needed to reach to any point of the empire They facilitated both communication and political control

Paved Roads The roads were made with strong foundations Different materials were put into different layers To measure the distance they created Milliarium or stones located in the sides Section of a Roman paved road

Paved Roads The roads were not completely flat They consisted of several layers The central and highest was the most important, it was convex to conduct the water to the ditches that were built in the sides

Bridges Roman engineers were true masters of building bridges, since they were essential to reaching places and cities often situated at the bank of rivers. They were created for defensive and infrastructural reasons, and are characterized by: Arches and Rectangular pillars as their bases.

Aqueducts Aqueducts were used to bring water to cities. The were built in order to get water from its source around geographic irregularities such as hills, mountains and valleys between rivers and towns. Not only valleys were crossed by aqueducts, but mountains were excavated by long tunnels as well.

Walls Walls were important to protect the city and its citizens from invaders, and they went all the way around the city. Hadrian's Wall is the most famous of these fortified walls. Standing at the Northern border of the Empire in Britannia (northern England), it was 72 miles long, parts of it still stand in Northern England today. It took only 5 years to build

Forum Forums were cultural centers in cities, usually placed at the crossroads of the cardo maximus and decumanus. Temples for worship, schools, basilicae, markets or even termae had direct access through Forum. In many cases even buildings for spectacles -circus, theaters and amphitheaters- were accessed through the forum

Types of Roman Architecture Religious buildings: temples Civil buildings: Public: basilicas, baths Spectacles: theater, amphitheater, circus Commemorative: Triumphal arch, column Domestic: Insulae, Domus, Villae, Palace Funerary: Tombs Engineering works: Bridges Aqueducts Roads

Religious: Temple It copied the Greek model It has only one portico and a main façade Instead of having stairs all around, it only has them in the main façade

                                                                                                   

Religious: Temple Other types of temples: Circular: similar to the Greek tholos, but with a Dome The Pantheon: combined square and circular structures and was in honor of all gods.

Civil Buildings: Basilica The Basilica in the Ancient world was where the court of justice was housed. It is rectangular and has different naves; The central nave is higher than the others. The building ends in an apse. The nave is covered with vaults.

Civil Buildings: Baths Public Space that consisted of different rooms: Different temperature rooms: Frigidarium (cold) Tepidarium (warm) Caldarium (hot) Swimming pool Gymnasium Library Changing rooms

Caracalla´s Bath House

Spectacles: Theater It is similar to the Greek Theater. It has a semicircular shape The doors are called vomitoria

Merida’s Roman Theatre

Spectacles: Amphitheater The design is based on the fusion of two theaters Spectacles such as public executions, fighting animals and man to man fights (gladiators) were held here The Coliseum could also be filled with water for naval battles.

The Coliseum was built in 8 years (72-80 AD) and was 160 feet tall. It had a capacity of 70,000 people; our modern stadiums are based on it

Spectacles: Amphitheater Velarium - This was a retractable awning that shaded the amphitheaters spectators from sun and was operated by members of the Roman Navy

Spectacles: Circus It was a racetrack for horse races and quadriga competitions. It has the spina in the center, that was a large barrier with monuments on top of it.

Commemorative monuments: Triumphal Arches Arches commemorated Roman victories or military generals; Triumphal Arches were monuments that were usually placed at the main entrance of a city in order to remind travelers and city residents of the greatness and strength of the Roman Empire. They also marked borders of provinces. At first they were wooden arches where trophies from wars were displayed. Then Romans built concrete commemorative arches with inscriptions; many still stand today.

Commemorative monuments: Columns Commemorative Columns were decorated with relief sculptures, some of which included historical facts, and were built to honor a person. The most famous example of these is Trajan's Column in Rome. It is decorated with a spiral of reliefs telling the story of his victory over Dacia (modern day Romania).

Houses: Insulae Insulae were urban houses In order to best use the vertical space in cities, buildings up to four floors high were constructed. The ground floor was for shops - tabernae- and the upper floors were for apartments of different sizes. Every residence was connected through a central patio decorated with flowers or gardens.

Houses: Domus Domus were usually housing for important people in each city. It was usually made up of a collection of rooms set around a central hall or atrium, with a garden and courtyard. There were few windows. Light came from the atrium instead. Up to 8 Domus could fit on a city block

Houses: Villa Houses far from cities, were either for agricultural purposes - villae rustica-, or as homes for other important and wealthy people -villae urbana-. A villae urbana had every comfort, as well as gardens and splendid views. Villae rustica had stables, cellars, stores and orchards apart from the living quarters.

Palaces The palace was the residence of the emperor Palaces were large and had many rooms.

Palace at Splitz