MODEL OF ROME

LOCATION

• Italy
• Tiber River
• between Etruscan and Greek cities
• part of the Latin League
Introduction
• 500 BC, Rome just a small town in Italy

• 133 BC, Rome controlled all of Italy and many foreign lands.
– Spain, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, North Africa

• Roman Empire quickly spread to Europe

Reasons for Success

•Rome was located in the centre of the Mediterranean world. This made it easy for
its army and navy to move quickly in any direction.

•Soldiers were courageous and well trained, and battles were carefully planned
ahead of time by able generals.

•Romans had the ability to make friends out of their defeated enemies. Eventually
conquered people accepted the Roman rule and the peace that it bought.
the Romans borrowed heavily from two cultures that they
conquered – the Etruscans and the Greeks.
 Origins of Roman Architecture
• As with sculpture, the Romans borrowed
heavily from two cultures that they Model of an Etruscan Temple
conquered – the Etruscans and the
Greeks.
• Elements of Roman architecture show
very significant Greek influence.
• However, Roman functional needs
sometimes differed, resulting in
interesting innovations.
• The Romans were less attached to
“ideal” forms and extended Greek ideas
to make them more functional.
• Romans needed interior space for
worship, whereas the Greeks
worshipped outside.
• Their solution was to extend the walls
outward, creating engaged columns,
while maintaining the same basic shape.
Origins of Roman Architecture
 The basics of Roman Architecture
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.
Tuscan- 7 times –Ht- un fluted, - with base, Plain entablature replaced – garlanded
bulls skulls, less massive, less refined
Ionic – Volutes on all sides
Composite – mixture of Ionic, Corinthian –capital – volutes – large – echinus molding –
egg & dart, lower-bead & reel – employed in Triumphal Arches
 Roman Columns
 To the original Greek orders, the Romans
added two:
◦ The Tuscan order.
◦ The Composite order.
 Tuscan Order:
◦ Like the Doric, except this one has a base.
◦ 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.

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. It appears to be Corinthian acanthus
leaves, supplemented with Volutes.
Another example of
Doric Columns…

The Coliseum
Geological
Materials – used immensely in construction as it were locally available.
Tufa –stone –various hardness
Travertine – hard limestone –fine quality
Tivoli - Lava, gravel, excellent sand
Pozzolona – volcanic earth – mixed well with - lime,water – mortar –
great strength, tenacity
CONCRETE - alt layer –rubble and mortar
New kind of freedom – curves, niches
 Composite walls – decorative sheathing – Marble, Stucco,
(marble dust plaster) Mosaic.

Opus Incertum- Opus Quadratum- Opus Reticulatum OpusTestacum

small stones-
roughly Rectangular – Fine joints, Lozenge – Brick facing
polygonal 4’x2’x2’ 4” sq.- 8-10”
Dowels, cramps
ARCUATED CONSTRUCTION –Building by the structural use of arches.
Arches led to Vaults, Domes.
Romans adapted to suit complex building.
CAPACITY TO SPAN ENORMOUS SPACES
Arch – span greater areas without support
Easier to erect – smaller ,lighter pieces of stone
Principal of Arch – each stone is supported by leaning on the key stone in the centre.
Keystone locks other stones in place
Arch supported – temporary scaffolding – Centering
A series of Arches that form a continuous covering - VAULT
Roman Innovation – The Arcuated Arch
 Romans did not invent this form, but they
used it well in bridges, within buildings, and
to allow aqueducts to span rivers and gorges.

Roman Public Water Supply

Pont de Garde Aqueduct,
Nimes
Groined or Barrel intersecting Vault Square
base- diagonal ribs
Lines of intersection – GROINS – bricks, stones

CROSS VAULT
Square
compartment-
intersection of
TWO semi-circular
vaults
Equal in span
Large span – bays-
piers
Filled with
concrete
Barrel Vault
Cross vault Pavilion or Cloister vault

Umbrella vault
Sail Vault Domical vault
DOME –is a vault of segmental
or semicircular section erected
upon a circular base.
Give a powerful perception
Hemispherical domes or
CUPOLAS ( cupa –cup)
Concrete vaults – lightened –
recessed coffers - underside
Religious
Temples – Rectangular, Etruscan + Greek - podium, portico, shorter
in proportion – faced Forums- any orientation
Circular –Rotunda
Commercial – Forum- (Agora)
Basilicas – Halls of Justice, business
Gateways - Triumphal Arches, pillars of Victory,
Entertainment –Theatres, Amphitheatres, Circuses
Residential – Palaces, Domus, Insulae
Aqueducts, Bridges - Tombs, Mausoleum
 Roman Innovation

 The Roman ability to build massively was largely

determined by their discovery of slow-drying
concrete, made with pozolana sand.
 This allowed not only bases, but also walls to be
constructed of mainly concrete or concrete and
rubble.
 Facings could be made of more expensive stone or
inexpensive brick.
 The result was strong structures that could be
formed in any desirable shape.
Roman Innovation –
Composite Walls

 The use of a brick

outer facing and a fill
of concrete and
rubble.
Roman Innovation – Massive
Building – Baths of Caracalla
 Roman baths were
the recreation centers
of Roman cities,
incorporating pools,
exercise facilities and
even libraries.
 They could serve
hundreds or
thousands at a time.
 Roman Innovation
Entertainment – the Roman Coliseum
Amphitheatres- characteristically Roman-
Display = mortal combats,
training for warriors-
Gladiatorial,
naval combats
Compound of two theatres - stage to stage –
making continuous auditorium round a

Central Arena
Arena – latin – sand or beach – strewn on- to absorb -
blood
The COLOSSEUM, Rome- Emperor Vespasin – 72A.D.
Completed – Son Titus -12 years
Plan – Elipse -188m long
156m –width, 57m ht.
Arena – oval – 87.47
x54.86(287’x180’)
Surrounded – 15’high wall-
Podium – emperor, Vestal
Virgins, Senators,
Behind - auditorium
Capacity – 50,000-87,000
External Façade – 157’6” high, 4 storeys
Auditorium – Four main divisions –two lower – Equestrians
Citizens - stairs, from corridors,
EARLY ROMAN AMPHI
THEATER

 Seats about 20,000

 Roman Innovation
Entertainment – Amphi theater at Nimes
Roman Innovation
Worship – The Pantheon
Niches – collosal 2 monolithic
statue – marble columns
Agrippa,Augustus inantis
Circular
foundation –
2 14’9”depth
1
3 20’thick wall
142’6” dia
8 Great
recesses-
3- semicircular
4- rectangular
exedras-
7 planets

Corinthian, Octastyle, triple collonade

Portico – 110’ x60’Deep
Corinthian Octastyle, Portico-triple colonnade
110’0” x 60’deep
Columns – Unfluted, monolithic- Egyptian Granite
Capitals – Corinthian – white Pentilic marble-
4’3.5” at the top
8 recesses –
1. Entrance Door
2. 3 nos - Semicircular
3. 4Nos. - Rectangular exedraes
4. Probavbly contained statues of
seven Planets
5. Two monolithic Corinthian
marble columns –inantis -
34’10”High
6. Lower third – reeded,
7. Upper portion fluted
8. Supporting an entablature
 Roman Innovation
Worship – The Pantheon

 The magnificent
interior space of the
Pantheon was
achieved by:
◦ Employing a dome over
a drum.
◦ Coffering the dome to
reduce weight.
◦ Placing an occulus to
allow light to enter.
Roman Innovation
Housing - Insulae

 Large
apartment
buildings
housed most of
the population
of a Roman
city.
Forums – (Agora) central open space –business, judicial, market,
civic meetings religious.
Forum Trajan – large forum – hemicycles-either side- marketing
area, libraries, temples
Trajan Market
 Roman Public Water
Supply
 The Romans transported
water from far away to
cities via aqua ducts.
 Cities themselves were
plumbed, providing
private water for the rich
and for baths and
communal supplies for
poorer neighborhood.
Roman Innovation
 The need to move
Road Building
legions and trade
goods in all weather
led to the
development of the
best roads in the
world (to the 19th
century).
Roman Innovation
Road Building
Public Buildings – Basilica
 Basilica were first
built to house
audience facilities for
government officials.
 When Christianity
became the state
religion, this kind of
building was adapted
to Christian worship.
Public Buildings -- Basilica
 A large nave is
flanked by side
aisles behind a
row of supporting
piers.
 An Apse draws
attention in the
direction of the
altar.
Latin - the language of the Romans is a lasting
legacy of their cultural dominance over the
western world. While Greek literature
dominated the east and even scholarly circles
of Rome itself, writers of Latin developed in
their own right.
Economic
• Slavery
• Unemployment
• Welfare system
• Taxation
• Forced labor
• Decrease in
trade.
 Being Counted as a Citizen

Being a Roman citizen was a matter of great

pride.

Census – An official count of people living in a

place.

Every five years Roman men registered for

census.

Registering for the census was the only way to

claim citizenship.
 Being Counted as a Citizen

Roman men declared their families, slaves,

and wealth to authorities at census time.

If a man did not register, he ran the risk of

losing his property. Worse yet, he could be
sold into slavery.

Women, girls, slaves and those who had been

freed from slavery were not counted as
citizens.
 Roman Social Classes
A small number of rich people and many poor
free people and slaves.

There was a huge difference between the lives of

the rich and the poor.

The majority of poor Romans were wither slaves

or without jobs.
 IMPORTANT FIGURES
Gaius Gracchus
Marius and Sulla
Pompey the Great, Marcus
Crassus, Julius Caesar
 First Triumvirate
Marc Antony, Marcus Lepidus,
Octavian Caesar
 Second Triumvirate Tiberius