ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

Prepared by Ephrem N.
Rome
Background
• The legendary origin of the city's name is from the traditional
founder and first ruler, Romulus ( his brother was Remus)
• traditionally Rome was founded around 750 bc.
Roman History
Roman architecture

• “In contrast to Greek architecture, which can be

described as sculptural masses set in balanced contrast
to the landscape, Roman architecture is an architecture
of space, enclosed internal space and outdoor space, on
a grand scale.”
• The Egyptians and the Greeks shaped powerfully
evocative buildings, but seldom were these buildings
meant to contain groups of people; public life was
conducted in the out - of - doors
Roman architecture

Regional influence
• The Etruscans influenced most of the northern part of Italy
• The Romans learned to build temples from them, and the
Etruscans may have introduced the worship of a triad of gods
• The Etruscans also supplied the Romans with the knowledge
of hydraulics and constructing an arch
• Romans were also heavily influenced by the Greek cities in
the South, mainly through trade.
Roman architecture

MATERIAL
• Innovation started in the first century BC., with the invention
of concrete, a strong and readily available substitute for
stone.
• great pillars supporting broad arches and domes rather
than dense lines of columns suspending flat architraves.
• In smaller-scale architecture, concrete's strength freed the floor
plan from rectangular cells to a more free-flowing
environment.
Roman architecture

MATERIAL
• Ancient Roman concrete was a mixture of mortar, sand,
water, and stones.
• 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.
• Mosaic is another material for decorations and paintings.
Roman architecture
Architectural influence
• The Architecture of ancient Rome
adopted the external Greek
architecture for their own purposes
• The two styles are often considered
one body of classical architecture
• 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.
Roman architecture
Social influences
• Social elements such as wealth and high population densities in
cities forced the ancient Romans to discover new (architectural)
solutions of their own.
• 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.
Roman architecture

• The Romans perfected the art of the take-over

• First they took over the Etruscans, then Italy and finally they
took over the whole world…or what they thought then was the
whole world…Europe, Asia minor, north Africa
• They took over Greek ideas and inflated them into big vulgar
productions for the benefit of the state
• Colonizing became conquering
• Administration became bureaucracy
• And architecture became engineering
Characteristic of Roman
architecture
Arches
• The size of the Greek post and lintel
was limited by the length a single
piece of stone can span
• the arch originated with the
Romans??...... NO!
• the Romans didn’t invent the arch
but they are the ones to apply it
extensively
• The Romans employed arches into a
great practical and aesthetic effect
Characteristic of Roman
architecture
Architectural orders
• To the three Greek orders the
Romans added the composite
order, a blend that
superimposed the scroll-like
volutes of the Ionic capital over
Corinthian acanthus
• They also made a composite
base by introducing an Ionic
base into a Doric shaft
Characteristic of Roman architecture

Circular plans
• Roman emperors were much taken by circular and oval plans,
and others that made dramatic use of curves rather than
Classical straight lines
Elements of Roman
architecture
• Temples
• Aqueducts
• The forum
• Theatres,
amphitheaters, the
coliseum, circuses
• Public baths and
thermae
• Villas, domestic
houses
• Monuments
• Triumphal arches,
gates
Temples

• Rectangular sometimes circular in plan

• a blend of Etruscan and Greek elements
• a deep porch with freestanding columns
• a frontal staircase giving access to its high plinth, or platform.
• The traditional Greek orders, or canons (Doric, Ionic,
Corinthian), were usually retained, but the Romans also
developed a new type of column capital called the composite
capital, a mixture of Ionic and Corinthian elements.
Temples
The pantheon
• The first Pantheon which
was small rectangular and
had north entrance was
built in 27 B.C. by Marcus
Vipsanius Agrippa.
After it burned down
twice by fire, the Emperor
Hadrian built it again with
huge round hall and dome.
• The Pantheon is the first
temple to combine the
technique of concrete
construction with Greek
classical orders.
Temples
The pantheon
• The porch has 24 Egyptian
gray granite columns in
front and side, four Egyptian
red granite columns beside
the entrance, their height is
14m.
• The capital and the base of
columns are white marble
which are same product of
Parthenon.
• The Roman Pantheon is
the largest unreinforced
solid concrete dome in the
world,
Temples
The pantheon interior
• The interior is a perfect circle its diameter and height are
exactly same, 43m.
• The circular plan represents the sphere of the world
Temples

The pantheon interior

• The wall is 6.05m thick and
on the lower level are seven
niches with a pair of
Corinthian columns.
• The lower level and the
second level are divided by
the cronies in the ratio of a
square root of 2 to 1.
Temples
The pantheon interior
• The hemispherical dome has the
skylight oculus of 8.9m in
diameter.
• The void oculus brings the
silent light to the real wall and it
moves in the time and the
space.
• The floor is paved by the
marble with circular and cubic
pattern. The wall is covered
with marbles which colors are
basically yellowish brown,
white, green and reddish-brown.
Temples

Temple of Fortuna Virilis

(temple of Portumnus)
• The temple was dedicated to
the god Portumnus, protector
of harbors and sea trade.
• The small and elegant
building stand on tall base
and travertine columns have
Ionic order.
Temples

Maison Carree; France (Nimes); approx. B.C.19

• It is a French name meaning “square house”
• In B.C.27, Nimes belong to the Rome under the reign of
Augustus.
• Maison Carre is a pseudoperipteros temple with 6 Corinthian
columns in front in Early Imperial Rome period when the
Roman temples have been strongly influenced by Greek temple
style.
• The high podium, and wide front steps in the midst of front part
of podium are characteristics of Roman temples
Maison Carree
Temples

Maison Carree
• The temple is 26.4m long and
15.55m wide with 3.3m high
podium.
• The steps were originally both in
front and sides.
• The Corinthian columns are
8.96m in height, 0.91m in
diameter.
• The height from the top of the
podium to cornice is 12.2m and
the height of entablature is 2.21m.
Amphitheaters and circuses

• Unlike Greek theaters, which were situated on natural slopes,

Roman theaters were supported by their own framework of
piers and vaults and thus could be constructed in the hearts
of cities.
• Amphitheaters (literally, double theaters) were elliptical in
plan with a central arena, where gladiatorial and animal
combats took place (Gladiator), and a surrounding seating area
built on the pattern of Roman theaters
Amphitheaters and circuses

The Colosseum; Italy,

Rome; 72 A.D.
• Construction was initiated by
the Emperor Vespasian around
72 AD. His son Titus reigned
over its completion and the
official opening ceremonies,
about 8 years later, in 80 AD.
• It got its popular name, the
Colosseum, because of Nero's
colossus (120 ft. high) statue of
himself.
The Colosseum
Amphitheaters and circuses

The Colosseum
• The huge theater was originally built encompassing
four floors. The first three had arched entrances, while
the fourth floor utilized rectangular doorways.
• The floors each measured between 10.5-13.9 meters in
height.
• The total height of the construction was approximately
48 meters
• The arena measured 79 x 45 meters and consisted of
wood and sand.
Amphitheaters and circuses
The Colloseum
• The Colloseum had a total spectator capacity of 45,000-55,000.
• The Amphitheater is built of travertine outside, and of tufa and brick
in the interior.
Amphitheaters and circuses
The Colloseum
• 100,000 cubic meters of
marble
• It has a total of 76 entrances
and 4 additional entrances for
the emperor, other VIPs and
the gladiators
• the entire audience could exit
the building in five minutes
• The interior was divided into
three parts: the arena, the
podium, and the cavea.
Amphitheaters and circuses

The Colloseum
• The audience, upon entering,
climbed sloping ramps to their
seats, according to gender and
social class.
• Arches make strong lights and
shadows. This is the main motif of
Greek and Roman Architecture.
Amphitheaters and circuses
Circus Maximus
• A large, oval track where the
chariot races took place.
• The chariots were open, two or
four-wheeled vehicles pulled by
horses and used for hunting,
battles, racing, and processions
• The Romans loved the races as
they were very exciting with
many spills and crashes. Often
charioteers were killed.
However, if they were good,
they might become popular
heroes.
Public baths

• After a morning's work at the office or shop, most

Roman's enjoyed spending the afternoon at the
thermae or public bath. Men and women enjoyed
coming to the baths not only to get clean but to meet
with friends, exercise, or read at the library.
• There were around 952 public baths of varying sizes
in Rome
• Roman baths and thermae, were used for much more
than simply washing.
• They combined aspects of a modern health club
with that of a public library and school.
Public baths

Baths of Caracalla
• Built in the reign of the
emperor Marcus Aurelius
Antoninius better known as
Caracalla.
• Contained shops, restaurants,
exercise yards, libraries, and
lecture halls and reading
rooms all arranged around
spacious gardens filled with
sculptures.
• It was for the amusement of all
roman citizens not just for the
wealthy.
Public baths

Baths of Caracalla
• More than 1600 bathers of one
gender could be accommodated
at one time
• It covers an area of 33 acres
(351m x 378m)
• Two levels of underground
stores, furnaces, and hot air
ducts heated the baths, while
complex plumbing ensured a
constant flow of water from the
Aqua Marcia aqueducts
Public baths

Baths of Diocletian
• The grandest and most
extensive of all ancient
• It covers an area of 32 acres
(13ha.)
• It was similar in plan with the
baths of Caracalla it was
impossible in imperial Rome
to have too much of a good
thing.
Aqueducts
Pont Du Gard
• The highest aqueduct ever built
by the Romans
• Built of unadorned, precut stone
blocks
• It preserve original style of
Augustus era. Now the bridge
exists about 300m long, 49m
above of the river.
• The bottom arches, which spans
are 15.75m to 21.5m, are about
155m long, 20m high.
Aqueducts
Pont Du Gard
• On the top of the bottom arches is
a 7m wide road which has
expanded for the traffic of cars in
1743.
• The middle arches are same spans
of the bottom arches and the
length is about 265m in total. The
height of middle part is about
21m and width is 5m.
Aqueducts
Pont Du Gard
• On the top of the 35 small
arches, about 8.5m high 3m
wide, support the waterway.
• The big arch, the bottom arch
and middle arch, have 3 times
or 4 times of the small arch in
span and 6 times of the small
arch in height.
• There was only 17m fall from
the headwaters to Nimes and
that meant the incline was
34cm per 1km.
Forums
Forums
• The Forum (a Latin word meaning open space or market
place) was the administrative and corporate heart of Rome.
• Generally this word referred to the open space in any Roman
town where business, judicial, civic, or religious activities
were conducted.
• A typical forum might be surrounded by temples, shops, and
basilicas
• In Rome, there were several forums. The most famous, the
Roman Forum, was designed by the architect Vitruvius who
felt the proportions needed to be 3:2 (length to width).
• The Roman Forum became the spectacular showcase of the
Empire filled with beautiful statues and architecture.
The forum Romanum and the
imperial forums.
Forum of
Augustus

Forum of
Temple of
Trajan
peace

Forum of
Forum
Julius
Romanum
Caesar
Forums

Trajan's Market - three

stories of shops and
stores Roman forum Pompeii
Basilicas
ROMAN BASILICAS
• The basilicas served as a
meeting place for the
citizens, an exchange for
merchants, and a court of
justice.
• Basilicas employed
interior-facing colonnades
aligned as a peristyle to
create a raised second-story
aisle or "clerestory" and a
sense of interior
monumental space.
• The design was possibly
imported from Hellenistic
Greek buildings (the stoas).
Basilicas
Basilica of Constantine
• constructed of concrete
and high ceiling vaulted
brick arches in the early
fourth century AD.
• served as the architectural
model for Grand Central
Station in New York.
• The interior would have
been lavishly decked out
in rich marbles, enormous
Corinthian columns,
statues in recesses, and
glass windows.
Basilicas

Basilica of Constantine
• The plan and general design of
the basilica were derived from
those of the great central halls
of imperial public baths
• The central nave is 80m long
by 25m wide roofed with
groined concrete vaults
reaching no less than 35m
Domestic architecture
• Italian domestic architecture employs an Italian variation of
peristyle construction known as the atrium, a smaller and more
enclosed central space than the Greek peristyle
• The floor plan of the Roman
house was also axially
arranged in a frontal manner,
so that visitors entering
the vestibule gained direct
“visual” access to the
paterfamilias or male head of
the household as he sat in his
office
Domestic architecture

• The common classes lived

in apartment like buildings
called the insula (islands).
• They were situated to cover
an entire city block, with
residential homes in the
interior and commercial
shops, restaurants, markets
or various organized clubs
around the street sides.
Domestic architecture

• Their villas were in more

intimate relation to the
landscape
• Located on the outskirts of the
city
• They have terraced
courtyards, gardens, and
orchards
• The larger villas are not only
for the satisfaction of practical
needs, they had luxurious
provision for dining, bathing,
exercise, and amusement.
Domestic architecture

Villa Hadrian
• It included, besides the
living quarters,
reproductions of the most
famous buildings of Greece.
• There were two theatres,
libraries, a stadium,
thermae, a so called
academy.
• The plan was purely of
Roman
Monuments and triumphal
arches
Arch of Constantine
• This was the last of many triumphal arches erected
over the centuries in Rome.
• It was used not only to celebrate victories but to
bring order to the crowded streets of Rome, which at
this time had a population in the region of 1.25milion
• It was erected to celebrate Emperor Constantine’s
victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian
bridge
• It is 21m high, 25.7m wide and 7.4m deep.
Arch of Constantine
 Conclusion
• The Romans perfected an architecture unlike that ever
seen before and spread it the length of the
Mediterranean world.
• A Greco-Roman architecture, it combined the
elegance of detail and refinement of form of Greece
with the pragmatic functionalism, civic scale, and
sense of power of Rome. It was a universal
architecture.
 Conclusion
• Unlike Egyptian architecture, which focused on
the next world, Roman architecture focused on
this world
• Roman buildings, like the more elemental Greek
buildings which influenced them, addressed not
the mysteries of the hereafter but the problems of
the present.
Conclusion

• Having found a new material

which is concrete , Roman
architects discovered ways of
shaping and playing with
space, of molding light and
shadow, that has repeatedly
inspired architects ever since.
• Roman art is not just the art of the emperors, senators,
and aristocracy, but of all the peoples of Rome’s vast
empire, including middle-class business people,
freedmen, slaves, and soldiers in Italy and the
provinces.
• Roman monuments were designed to serve the needs
of their patrons rather than to express the artistic
temperaments of their makers.
Terms to remember

• Arch • Amphitheatre
• Triumphal arch • Colosseum
• Aqueduct • Pantheon
• Forum • Oculus
• Basilica
• Composite order
• Public baths
• Circus