Roman

architecture

Lakshmi rao
spav 1
 Roman architecture continued the legacy left by
Roman architecture the earlier architects of the Greek world, and
the Roman respect for this tradition and their
particular reverence for the established architectural
orders, especially the Corinthian, is evident in many
of their large public buildings. However, the
Romans were also great innovators and they quickly
adopted new construction techniques, used new
materials, and uniquely combined existing
techniques with creative design to produce a whole
range of new architectural structures such as the
basilica, triumphal arch, monumental aqueduct,
amphitheatre, granary building, and residential
housing block. Many of these innovations were a
response to the changing practical needs of Roman
society, and these projects were all backed by a state
apparatus which funded, organised, and spread them
around the Roman world, guaranteeing their permanence
so that many of these great edifices survive to the
present day.

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ORIGINS OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE
The Romans borrowed heavily from two cultures that they
conquered – the Etruscans and the Greeks.
▪ Worshipped many gods, Temples had Greek influence,
mostly rectangular in plan, built on raised podium. Podium was
made of timber mud brick and terracotta, wide spread roof to
throw out water.
▪ Many mineral resources like copper ,tin , silver, iron etc.
▪ Excellent work in metal, Culture - love, peace , music
,dancing.
▪ Introduced gladiators contest and Writing – 7th century B.C.
▪ Fertile soil – used for cultivation.
▪ Columns were slender and spacing more wider.
▪ Town planning in grid iron pattern.
▪ They had broad streets ,good water supply and drainage
systems.
▪ Introduced Tuscan order and Arches were present.

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ROMAN ARCHITECTURE – architectural features :
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES :
▪ Columnar and trabeated style of greeks
▪ Use of lime concret, hence extended use of vaulting. They
used various types of vaults. Ribs were
made from bricks laid on edges known as ‘ribbed vault’. They
could span large spaces.
VAULTS, is a structural member consisting of an arrangement
of arches, usually forming a ceiling or roof.
▪ Semi circular or the barrel vaults over rectangular structures
▪ Cross vaults --- formed by the intersection of two semi
circular vaults.
▪ Cupolas or hemispherical dome used over circular structure.
Greeks – single storeyed buildings but
romans constructed multi storied buildings – frequently
ornamented
▪ Utility buildings– like bridges, aqueducts etc.
▪ Their plans were complex in appearance, hidden in design
and displayed an impression of vastness.
▪ Had great engineering skill and constructive ability. Took
many laborious years to compete every
building – Hence it is said Rome was not built-in a day.
▪ Arches, vault and dome were the key notes to the system of
roman construction 4
▪ Use of marble mosaic in composite wall , vaults, and for
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Architectural Orders
To the three orders of Greek the Romans added
two more orders – Hence the five orders
▪ DORIC , IONIC, CORINTHIAN,
COMPOSITE, TUSCAN.

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DORIC ORDER ROMAN

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 Roman Ionic Capital

IONIC ORDER ROMAN

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Greek Ionic Capital
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 CORINTHIAN CAPITAL

Maison Carrée - Corinthian Roman Temple

Nimes, France

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TUSCUN ORDER ROMAN

TUSCAN CAPITAL

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Tuscan Style Building - University of Virginia 12
 St. John Lateran Church, Rome -- / -- Arch of Titus, Rome

COMPOSITE ORDER ROMAN

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TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE
▪ TEMPLES
▪ FORUM
▪ BASILICAS
▪ PILLARS OF VICTORY
▪ THERMAE
▪ AMPHITHEATRES
▪ CIRCUSES
▪ TRIUMPHAL ARCHES
▪ AQUEDUCTS
▪ BRIDGES
▪ ROADS
▪ SEWERS
▪ FOUNTAINS

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Circular temples (TEMPLE OF PANTHEON)
▪ Completed by Agrippa
▪ Incription – m. Agrippa made me.
▪ Colonnaded portico in front
▪ Granite columns –Corinthian order.
▪ Portico – octa style --33.5 x 18m – entrance to the temple
▪ Columns are unfluted ,1.5m dia and 14m high.
▪ Entablature is 3.35m high
▪ Portico contain niches in which statues of agrippa and augustus are
erected.
▪ Bronze doors plated with gold.
▪ Rotunda - Circular in plan
▪ 44m diameter and height.
▪ Rotunda rests on a circular foundation 4.5m deep.
▪ Consists of 8 exedrae, one of which forms the entrance , others
contain the statues of gods.
▪ 2monolithic marble columns 10.6m high are present in the exedrae.
▪ The columns have corinthian capital which support the entablature.
▪ A hemispherical dome which is in 3 tires
Excellent example of Romans skilful construction and the right
▪ covers the circular bldg.
use of materials for the right
▪ The coffers in the hemispherical dome not
purpose.
▪ only provide ornamentation but also
▪ A circular unglazed opening is present for lighting of the
▪ reduces the weight of the dome.
building. It is 8.23 m dia. -- oculus
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ROME'S GREATEST FORUM: THE HUGE FORUM OF TRAJAN
IN ROME INCLUDES A
TRIUMPHAL ARCH, A
COLONNADED OPEN SQUARE, A
BASILICA, A TEMPLE, TWO
LIBRARIES, AND A GIANT
COMMEMORATIVE COLUMN
WITH A TOMB AT ITS BASE.
▪ Similar to agora of greeks.
▪ Usually situated at the
intersection of 2 main streets.
▪ Around this forum law courts and
public buildings were placed.
▪ It was also the site of the city's
primary religious and civic
buildings, among them the Senate
house, records office, and basilica.
▪ Often used as open air assembly
or a market etc.
▪ There were clear indications of
town planning.
▪ Example forum of trajan,forum of
caeser,forum of augustus 18
The Forum of Trajan dedicated in
AD 112, and the Column of
Trajan commemorate his military
victories as well as providing
public buildings for meeting,
shopping, and conducting
business. It was the most
comprehensive forum yet built by
an emperor
▪ The Forum of Trajan dedicated in
AD 112, and the Column of
Trajan commemorate his military
victories as well as providing
public buildings for meeting,
shopping, and conducting
business. It was the most
comprehensive forum yet built by
an emperor

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BASILICAS
▪ Halls of justice.
▪ Usual plan is rectangular covered buildings, twice as long as
its width with apsidal ends.
▪ Courts, businesses and social gatherings with often 2 or
more storeys.
▪ Early Christian churches were converted basilicas, or based
on their design
▪ Entrance was through a portico from trajans forum.
▪ Adjoining it was greek and latin libraries ,trajans column
etc.
▪ consists of a central nave 56.5mx118m with double aisles
each 7.3m wide BASILICA OF TRAJAN (98 – 112 A.D.)
▪ Basilica – 40m high.
▪ Red granite columns with white marble corinthian capitals
for supporting the galleries.
▪ At the apsidal ends were the seats of judges.
▪ Altar was in front of it where sacrifice was offered before
transacting business.

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PILLARS OF VICTORY
These were monumental columns erected in honour of the
emperors and generals to commemorate the
victorious events.
▪ EXAMPLE COLUMN OF TRAJAN .( A.D. 113 ). Trajans
commemorative column .--- 35m high.
▪ Erected adjacent to his basilica . It is a roman doric
column,built in marble.
▪ Circular shaft is 3.7m dia. A spiral staircase is
provided to ascend to the top. Shaft contains small
openings for light and ventilation.
▪ The freestanding column is decorated with a
continuous spiral narrative frieze depicting
Trajan's two successful campaigns against the
Dacians. Incription on a spiral band 244m long
and 1.2m broad.

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AMPHITHEATRES - COLOSSEUM
▪ Used for training warriors and to hold contest between men
and animals.
▪ They were elliptical in shape with rising tires of seats.
▪ The earliest known amphitheater (75 B.C.) is at Pompeii.
▪ And the grandest, Rome's Colosseum or coliseum. (A.D.70-
82).
Elliptical in plan
▪ Measures 190m x
155m
▪ The Colosseum in
Rome is best
known for its
multilevel system
of vaults made of
concrete.
▪ External facade
48m high which
was divided into 4
storeys. Each
storey had 80
external arch
openings.
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▪
• The entrance was
from the ground
floor to various tiers of seats. ▪ 2nd storey 11.8m high – slender and
▪ Main arena was oval shaped - 87x55m & it was enclosed by lighter ionic column.
a wall of 4.5m high. ▪ 3rd storey 12m high –corinthian
▪ Behind it was the podium– were emperor, generals –upper columns.
class sat. Beyond the podium was the ▪ Last storey 11.8m high –corinthian
auditorium to seat 50,000 spectators. Lowest level –dens for plasters.
wild animals and for gladiators. ▪ Columns were superimposed.
▪ Materials used for construction --- lava for foundation, tufa ▪ The oval seating area is supported
and bricks for walls, pumic stone for by a complex system of concrete
vaults , marbles for columns and seats. barrel vaults.
▪ In the upper class sections of the coliseum spectators sat on ▪ The structure had 76 numbered
marble, while in the lower class section entrances. It is held up by the
they sat on wood. There were lifts for getting contestants and heavier outer rings which buttress
equipment up to the stage floor. the structure’s outward thrust.
▪ Below the floor was a large service area which contained ▪ The colosseum to date is one of the
cages for animals, a plumbing and most famous tourist attractions and
drainage system . plumbing and drainage system could wash is one of the finest examples of
away the blood or create an ‘inland Roman architecture
sea’ for mock naval battles. Romans used the orders skilfully.
▪ 1st storey 12.4m high – doric
column.
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CIRCUSES

▪ Used for horse and chariot racing.

▪ EG. CIRCUS MAXIMUS ROME
▪ Built in 605 B.C.
▪ Size – 610m x 198m. Accomodated –2,50,000 spectators.
▪ Situated just below the window of the palace on the palatine
hill. The race ground was divided into 2
tracks.
▪ The outer area was surrounded by 3 tiers of seats supported
on concrete vaults. 20 to 50 competitors
participated at a time. 14km of racing.
▪ External facade -- marble arcades. At one end 12 stalls for
horses and chariots were provided.
▪ Usually 4 events took place in the morning and 4 events in
the evening

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AQUEDUCTS
▪ For water supply.
▪ Water from mountain streams could be carried from 40
miles away using gravitational flow to
reservoirs near cities. Water transported through tunnels and
channels.
▪ They were supported by walls or arches. Channels in arches
were lined with hard, water-proof
cement.
▪ One of the early uses of
the Roman arch was for
the construction of the
Roman "aquaduct."
▪ Different sizes of the
Roman arch were placed
one on top of the other in
rows of arcades.
▪ Water then went through
smaller pipes made of
lead, wood or terra cotta,
into fountains, houses or
public baths.
▪ EXAMPLE – MARCIAN
AQUEDUCT ROME 25
ROADS
▪ They were pioneers in road construction.
▪ They constructed a network of roads radiating from rome.
▪ Hence the say –all roads lead to rome.
Appian Way
An expanding network of roads helped to link Rome's distant
territories. One of the most important paved
military roads was the Appian Way, commissioned by the
Roman official Appius Claudius Caecus. It
became the major route from Rome to Greece. Although these
large lava blocks may not be the original
material, the route itself has remained unchanged and in use
since it was first paved more than 2200 years
ago.
SEWERS
▪ They kept their city clean by providing sewer lines to drain
out sewage water.
▪ Eg. Cloaca maxima – great sewer of rome.
▪ It is 5m wide and 10m high.
▪ It drained out sewage from forum and public buildings.
FOUNTAINS
▪ Designed in great variety in coloured marble
▪ Either as basins, or as spouting jets,or sometimes gushing
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water.
ROMAN CITY PLANNING
▪ The typical Roman city of the later
Republic and empire had a rectangular plan
and resembled a
Roman military camp with two main
streets—the cardo (north-south) and the
decumanus (eastwest)—
a grid of smaller streets dividing the town
into blocks, and a wall circuit with gates.
▪ Older cities, such as Rome itself,
founded before the adoption of regularized
city planning, could,
however, consist of a maze of crooked
streets. The focal point of the city was its
forum, usually
situated at the center of the city at the
intersection of the cardo and the decumanus.
TIMGAD – ROMAN CITY
▪ Roman colonial city founded by Trajan
(A.D. 100 ).
▪ It flourished mainly during the second
and third centuries.
▪ ▪ Originally almost square in shape.
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An ancient city in northern Africa, situated
25 km from the modern city of Batna in
Algeria.
▪ After being destroyed by the Berbers in
the fifth century, it was rebuilt by the
Byzantines and was
ultimately destroyed by the Arabs in the 7th
century. Timgad had a strictly regular grid-
type layout.
▪ Its ruins, which were covered by drifting
sand, are well preserved.
▪ They include remains of a forum, a
capítol, and a triumphal arch built in honor
of Trajan (restored
1900), as well as remains of a theater, a
basilica, thermae, and dwellings.
▪ Byzantine structures include a square
citadel with eight towers and ruins of
Christian churches.
▪ Many Roman inscriptions, as well as
mosaics, sculptures, and bronze ornaments,
were found in
Timgad’s ruins.
DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE :
• The construction of many houses employed walls of sun dried
clay bricks or wooden framework filled
with fibrous material covered with clay or plaster.
• The roofs were probably of thatch with eaves which
overhung
the permeable walls.
• Many larger houses were built of stone and plastered. The
roofing material for substantial house was tile.
• Houses of the wealthy had mosaic floors and demonstrated
the
Classical style.
• Many houses centred on a wide passage or "pasta" which
ran
the length of the house and opened at one side onto a small
courtyard which admitted light and air.
• Larger houses had a fully developed peristyle courtyard at
the
centre, with the rooms arranged around it.
• Some houses had an upper floor which appears to have been
reserved for the use of the women of the family.
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Reference link:
https://www.atouchofrome.com/roman_orders.html

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