Roman Architecture
Roman architecture stands today as a testament to
the ability and grandeur of this once great civilization
that ,at one time, covered three continents. The
common style of architecture formed a thread that
helped keep the vast Roman empire connected. Their
great theaters and amphitheaters were wonders that
could seat thousands of people and are still
impressive,both in size and volume, today. Their
development of the arch and concrete influenced
architecture for centuries to come.
Basics about Roman Architecture
The Romans adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for their own purposes, which were
so different from Greek buildings as to create a new architectural style. The two styles are often considered one
body of classical architecture. Sometimes that approach is productive, and sometimes it hinders understanding
by causing us to judge Roman buildings by Greek standards.
The architecture of Classical Greece and Rome did not come about all at once, but came in different stages of
design and style. There were five different types that the Romans and Greeks used throughout classical times,
from pre 500 BC to the first century AD.
Doric Style - Columns built in this style usually had no base and consisted of a massive shaft with 20 flutes.
Doric architecture predates the 5th century BC. It was infrequently used, but examples are seen in the
Parthenon (see above) and Colosseum in Rome. Later Roman columns differ from the Greek version in their
addition of a base and changes in the capital profile.
Ionic Style - More visibly complex than that of the Doric style, being of slender proportion, and their height
being generally about nine times the column's lower diameter; the order is always used with a base and the
column shaft usually has 24 flutings.
Corinthian Style - This is the most ornate of the classical styles and is
generally much more slender than the Ionic style. The Romans used the
Corinthian order in numerous monumental works of imperial architecture.
They gave it a special base, made carved additions to the cornice, and
created numerous capital variations, utilizing florid leafage and
sometimes human and animal figures. The prevailing form of Roman
Corinthian is seen in the Maison Carrée in Nimes, France (see picture to
right). This style originated after the 5th century BC.
Tuscan Column - The Tuscan column was the next form to be
introduced and it was introduced by the Etruscans. The Tuscan Column is
a very simple, plain column with a base and non-fluted shaft. No major
examples of this architectural type survive today.
Composite Order - The final architectural type to come from the classical world is the Composite order and it
was first seen in 82 AD on the arch of Titus. The Composite form is a combination of Ionic and Corinthian
orders. This form was the most complex due to the fact that it used the arch. Due to the advances of the
Composite style of architecture and the skill that the Romans had with concrete, the Romans were able to
Roman Architecture
develop such architectural marvels like the arch ,the vault and the dome. One of the most famous domed
buildings to come from the ancient Romans was the Pantheon built in the last century BC by Marcus Agrippa
and later refurbished by Hadrian. This building was originally built as a temple to all the Roman gods but was
later converted into a Christian temple. This building has the honor of being the oldest ,and largest, free
standing dome in history.
Examples of Roman Architecture
Aqueducts
The Roman development of the arch also led to the building of the great aqueducts for which were used to
transport great amounts of water over vast miles of land. The need for aqueducts occurred in Rome during the
mid republic due to the fact that the Tiber river had gotten too muddy and polluted from waste dumping and
other deeds. As time went on, numerous aqueducts were built in Rome and throughout the empire in general.
The early Roman aqueducts consisted of plain stone slabs and earth lime mixtures. The style and sophistication
of aqueducts evolved as time went on. Because of the Roman Aqueduct, the public baths and water fountains
were kept operational due to the abundant access to fresh water. The result of this was the easy access to
people of all classes to fresh water and bath facilities which set a sanitary standard that would not be met until
the 19th century.
To transport the water over great distances, the Roman Aqueduct worked with the principals of gravity and they
also had special basins between the source and the destination that would help purify the water. Once the
water had reached the destination, it was kept into a storage tank where it would be distributed by pipes to
different locations at the city. Some lucky upper class people had water piped directly to their residence ,the
earliest known form of a sophisticated pipe system.
By the end of the Western Roman empire, the city of Rome had many prominent aqueducts within her
boundaries. The most notable of these aqueducts are the Aqua Appia ,the first Roman aqueduct, and the Aqua
Claudia, built by the emperor Claudius and would remain one of the largest in the city.In the empire,when times
were strained,some emperors chose to simply improve on existing aqueducts rather than construct new ones.
Though the Romans were not the first to have a mass water system, the
Greeks had water pumps in the cities, their system is important because it
was the first time water was available to everyone on such a mass scale.
When the western empire did fall, so fell her complex and ingenious water
system. With no engineers or funds to maintain them, the aqueducts ,like
everything else Roman fell prey to the barbarians of the middle ages.
Perhaps the most well preserved aqueduct is Pont du Gard near Nimes,
France (pictured on right).
Roman Architecture
Baths
With the water system that the Aqueduct allowed, the Roman public baths got more sophisticated and grew in
size as time went on. By the second century AD, public baths had grown in size and variety. In these new
facilities, the pampered could do everything from eat to exercise and even read.
Under such famous emperors as Titus, Caracalla and Diocletion, magnificent baths were constructed that could
house thousands of people at a single time. These later baths were constructed in different sections. Upon
entrance into the bath house, the patron would first enter a changing room in which they would undress
themselves before continuing into the exercise room. After a period of exercise, the patron would then go to the
warm baths,in the tepidarium, then to the clod baths, in the frigidarium. After their bath, the patron could have
a massage if he/she wished so.
What makes the Roman bath houses such an architectural and engineering wonder, other than their great size,
is the system that the Romans had for maintaining them. In the cold and hot areas of the bath, the water
temperature was actually regulated by the use of underground fire furnaces. Also, the dirty water in the baths
was actually drained and replaced regularly. The bath house also had a hookup to the complex Roman water
system and so always had an ample source of water, for both bathing
in and for drinking. The great sanitary conditions of the bath house
were major factors that helped to make the Roman empire the
cleanest society up until the 19th century.
Some of the most famous Roman Bath's that still exist are in Bath,
England (pictured to left) and Baden-Baden, Germany.
Arches, Ampitheaters and Monuments
The grand public structures that the Romans left are the greatest legacy to their once great empire. Their great
amphitheaters and monuments, such as the triumphal arch, were great structures that were a marvel to the
Romans and are still a marvel to us today.
The Roman Amphitheater, like most styles of buildings, was influenced greatly by the Greek civilization. These
structures were generally circular and used the arch as their style of building but some were known to be built
into a mountain or hillside. The theaters and amphitheaters were quite big in size and could hold upwards of
50,000 spectators. The biggest, and most famous, Roman
amphitheater was the Coliseum (see picture to right) which was
built by the Flavian emperors Vespasian and Titus. This building
was used for everything from mock sea battles to to gladiatorial
fights. A special fact about the Coliseum is that it was originally
built with a huge removable canopy to protect the spectators from
the elements.
The great monuments that the Romans leave behind show a great
skill and an admiration for the accomplishments of their leaders
and the grandeur of their empire. Most Roman monuments were
constructed using the arch and had the details carved into them.
The arch was usually very big and was a prominent feature of the
skyline of the town in which it was located.