Roman Architecture Quiz

Roman Architecture - Geographical Considerations

• Italy's coastline is not as deeply indented as Greece's, with fewer natural harbors.
• Many parts of Italy are mountainous, with the Apennine range running the length of the peninsula.
• The landscape is not as consistently divided into valleys as Greece.
• The Romans were not a seafaring people like the Greeks.
• They did not establish widespread colonies in the same way as the Greeks.
• Few rival cities in Rome fostered a gradual absorption of smaller states, unlike Athens or Sparta.

Roman Architecture - Geological Information

• Roman buildings used a variety of materials: marble, terracotta, stone, and brick.
• Travertine, a limestone from Tivoli, was a common building material.
• Tufa, a volcanic rock, was also a significant source of building material in Rome.
• Peperino, a volcanic rock from Mount Albano, was also employed.
• Lava and pozzolana, volcanic materials, were plentiful and contributed to the durability of Roman concrete.
• Walls were constructed with concrete, faced with brick, stone, marbles, alabaster, porphyries.
• Concrete, combined with brick and stone, was the most common material.

Roman Architecture - Social and Political Aspects

• Three main groups inhabited the Italian peninsula in early times: Etruscans, Greeks, and others.
• Etruscans, possibly Indo-European, were great builders and inhabited central Italy.
• The Greeks established colonies in southern Italy (Magna Graecia).
• Romans followed a system of government similar to Greece, initially with kings, then later a republic, followed by an empire under Augustus Caesar.
• The Roman Republic waged numerous wars to expand its influence, eventually consolidating rule over the Italian peninsula.
• The Roman conquest of Italy (B.C. 343) took about sixty years and resulted in a city-state dominating the region.
• Conflicts with Carthage (e.g., the Punic Wars) led to Roman dominion over Sicily.
• The Second Punic War was a significant conflict, showcasing Hannibal's strategic brilliance.
• The Roman Empire gradually expanded across Europe and parts of Asia and Africa.
• Periods of civil war and leadership transitions existed within the period of the Roman Empire.

Roman Architecture - Historical Development

• Roman foundations are dated by some around 750 BCE
• The Romans conquered Etruscan cities in wartime.
• Gaul was conquered in the campaigns of Julius Caesar.
• Julius Caesar was murdered and civil war ensued.
• Augustus Caesar became emperor in 27 BCE, establishing the Roman Empire.
• The Roman Empire was marked by numerous emperors, each with periods of activity and expansion.
• The Third Punic War led to the destruction of Carthage and its territory.
• Greece became a province after the conquests of Macedonia.
• The empire expanded further into Western Asia.
• The empire eventually declined and fragmented over years.
• Christianity became a significant new force in the late Roman period.

Roman Architecture - Building Types

• Theatres: Evolved from Greek designs, with examples like the Roman Theatre at Bosra.
• Amphitheatres: One of the significant architectural innovations of the Romans, exemplified by the Colosseum.
• Basilicas: Structures used by the Romans for public gatherings and law courts, and later adopted by Christians for churches.
• Circus Maximus: A large open-air venue for public events, similar in design to Greek hippodromes.
• Forums: Public spaces, often with marketplaces and government buildings, like the Forum of Trajan.
• Horrea: Public warehouses used to store consumables.
• Domus: Single-story homes of the wealthy upper classes.
• Insulae: Multi-story residential apartment blocks for the common people.
• Villas: Large estates, often outside the city, for the wealthy, subdivided based on function (urban vs. rustic), such as the villa fructuaria.
• Thermae: Public bathhouses where bathing, exercise, and socializing occurred, and included multiple sections for different temperature baths (caldarium, tepidarium, frigidarium, and laconicum).
• Temples: Significant buildings, typically rectangular (Maison Carrée, Temple of Augustus) or circular (the Temple of Hercules Victor, Pantheon) in design, reflecting different styles and religious devotion.
• Obelisks: Decorative monuments, often of Egyptian origin, like the Lateran Obelisk

Roman Architecture - Materials and Techniques

• Stone: The Romans used marble extensively, particularly in later periods. It was often used in grand public works.
• Concrete: The Romans were innovative in utilizing concrete which allowed for large-scale construction, cheaper, and used for creating varied architectural design and support structures.
• Brick: Sun-dried and fired bricks were common, especially for more practical structures and also used to create ornamentation and details.
• Stucco: A mixture of materials, like sand, gypsum, and sometimes marble dust which could be carved and used to create architectural designs or as a facing material.
• Other Materials: Basalt, terracotta, and various types of stone were also utilized, depending on region and specific needs for a structure.

Roman Architecture - Infrastructure

• Aqueducts: Roman aqueducts carried water to cities and provided water for baths, homes, and agricultural practices
• Bridges: Roman bridges were constructed with arches, concrete in many, and were frequently found in various forms.
• Cisterns: Reservoirs to store water. Large water reservoirs were constructed to serve a wide array of functions, and one of the largest examples being the Basilica Cistern in Turkey.
• Defensive Walls: Fortifications that protected significant cities through the Roman Empire's various regions, for example, the Roman walls of Lugo in Spain.