Roman Architecture.pdf Roman Architecture.pdf

Ancient Rome begin as a group of villages along the Tiber River (Italy).
Around 750 B.C. these villages united to form the city of Rome.
LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY
The Alps in the north and the Apennines along Italy are the mountainranges that Romans used the hillsfor defense.
Romanswere able to grow a wide variety of crops because of the good climate.

GEOGRAPHY
The development of civilization is affected by geography. Rome did
not spring into being as a power on the Italian peninsula.
It began as a tiny village along the Tiber River.
It was an excellent location, with seven hills offering a natural
defensive barrier.
The Tiber River gave these early settlers access to fresh water for
drinking and bathing, as well as a waterway for trade, and food to
eat. The flatland, on the other side of the Tiber River, was perfect
for farmland. The soil was good so crops could be grown easily.
The area along the Tiber River, in the seven hills, offered what
they needed. They started their city on the top of one hill. They
walled around it. As they expanded, they also expanded their
wall, until one wall encircled all seven hills.

INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT ROMAN ARCHITECTURE
This map reveals the Roman Empire at the time of
Trajan'sdeath in 116 AD.
Examiningthe history of the Roman Empire Rome was
actuallyfirst a Republic and then an Empire, and when
Rome reached the height of its prosperity, it became the
greatest empire the world has ever known.
Roman architects struggled to achieve two overriding aims:
1- to demonstrate the grandeurand power of Rome,
2- also improving the life of their fellow citizens.

• Roman architects absorbed a great deal from Etruscanart and design
and had huge respect for Greek architecture.
• They also learned from Egyptianpyramid architectureand stonework.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICSOF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE
• The Romanswere above all things a practical people.
• They brought engineering into the service of architecture.
• They made the arch and vault the basis of their system of design.
• They systematizedtheir methods of construction so that soldiers
and barbarianscould execute the rough mass of their buildings.
• They formulated the designing of the decorativedetails so that
artisans of moderate skill could execute them with good effect.

Marble was used only for facing or decoration,or sometimes
in mosaics.
Colored marblesand stones like alabaster and granite, were
also popular.
BUILDING MATERIALS
Long before concrete made its appearanceon the buildingscene
in Rome, the Romansutilized a volcanic stone nativeto Italy
called tufa to construct their buildings.
During the empire, the most common stone used for buildingwas
travertine because it was more durableand its off-white color
made it an acceptable substitute for marble.

CONCRETE
The discovery of slow-dryingconcrete made with pozzolanasand created a
revolutionin architecturaldesign.
This allowed walls to be constructed of mainly concrete.
The result was strongstructures that could be formed in any desirable shape.
Roman concrete (opus caementicium) was typicallymade from Hydraulic
cement.
a mixture of lime mortar, water, sand and pozzolana, a fine, ochre-colored
volcanicearth, which set well even under water.
The volcanic sand used in Roman concrete and mortar made their buildings
last for so long.

The Roman Pantheon, a huge concrete buildingthat has endured for nearly 2,000 years was made entirely out
of concrete, without the reinforcing support of structural steel.
CONCRETE

CONSTRUCTION METHODS
Since lintelsare heavy, the interiorspaces of buildingscould only be limitedin size.
Much of the interiorspace had to be devoted to supporting heavy loads.
Roman architecture differed fundamentallyfrom this tradition
because of the discovery of concrete, arches and vaulting.
Romansbecame increasingly concerned with shaping interior
space rather than filling it with structural supports.
As a result, the inside of Roman buildingswere as impressive as
their exteriors

Factors such as wealth and high population densities in cities forced the
ancient Romansto discover new (architectural)solutionsof their own.
The use of vaults and arches, together with a sound knowledge of building
materials,enabled them to achieve unprecedentedsuccesses in the
construction of imposing structures for publicuse.
THE USE OF ARCHES, VAULTS, AND DOMES
Romanswere able to create many impressivebuildingand structures.

An Arch is a very strong shape as no single spot holdsall the weight.
Romansused arches to support the things they built.

The arches were modified greatly by the Romansso that they could carry large amount of weights.
It was usuallybuild by stones, brick or concrete
THE ARCHES

ROMAN TOWN PLANNING
Cities were the center of Roman life.
• Need for infrastructure.
• Water and sewer system.
• Transport and defense.
• Public spaces and markets.
• Linking through pavedroads.

To meet the demands of Roman taste the Etruscan column was retainedwith
its simple entablature.
The Doric and Ionic were adoptedin a modified form.
A regular system of proportionsfor all these five orders was graduallyevolved.
THE ROMAN ORDERS
Roman ionic order

Monolithic shafts were preferred to those built up of superposeddrums.
The fluting was omitted and when hard and semi- precious stone was the material, it was
highly polishedto bring out its color.
Another radical departure from Greek usage was the mounting of columns on pedestals .
The general use of engaged columns as wall-decorationsor buttresses.
THE ROMAN ORDERS
columnscontinued to be used even when they were no longer structurally necessary. This
was to give buildingsa traditionaland familiarlook

THE ROMAN ORDERS
The Greek anta was developedinto the Roman pilaster or flattenedwall-
column.
Every free column, or range of columns perpendicularto the façade, had
its corresponding pilaster to support the wall-end of the architrave.

Roman Doric, Ionic and CorinthianOrders were slenderer and more ornamented.
Columnstended to be left unfluted.
THE COLUMNS
The Tuscan column was another adaptation of a traditional idea which was a form of Doric
column but with a smaller capital, more slender shaft without flutes, and a molded base.

The Corinthianorder was particularlyfavoredand many Roman buildings
THE COLUMNS

THE FORUM
The Forum is a rectangular plaza surrounded by several important government buildings at the
center of the city of Rome.
Roman cities were typicallyfocused on the forum.

THE FORUM
The forum is the civic, religiousand economic heart of the city.
Major temples were located,as well as other important
shrines, the basilica (a law court), and other official meeting
places for the town council.

AQUEDUCTS AND BRIDGES
Aqueductsare massive structures, with single, double, or triple
tiers of arches, were designed to carry fresh water to urban
centers from sources sometimes many kilometersaway.

BASILICAS
The basilicawas adoptedby the Christian church but was conceived by the Romansas a place for any large gathering,
with the most common use being law courts.
They were usuallybuilt along one side of the forum, which was enclosed on all sides by colonnades.
The basilica’slong hall and roof were supported by columns and piers on all sides.
The columnscreated a central naveflanked on all sides by an aisle.

THEATRES
It is similarto the Greek but it is not locatedin a
mountainbut completelybuilt.
It has a semi-circular scenery.

The commemorativearches, or arches of triumph, were a sort of ceremonial
architecture inventedby the Romans in their passion for the show of power,
to commemorate an importantevent or military campaign.
TRIUMPHAL ARCHES

TEMPLES
It copied the Greek model.
It has only one portico and a main façade.
The cella is totallyclosed.
It is built on a podium
Instead of havingstairs all around,it only has them in the main façade.

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