Roman Architecture (300 B.C.-A.D) PDF

Roman Architecture (300 B.C.-A.D) E. SOCIAL AND POLITICAL Important Emperors who Patronizes ORIGINS OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE Architecture in Rome; a. As with sculpture, the Romans 1. Nero borrowed heavily fro...

Roman Architecture (300 B.C.-A.D) E. SOCIAL AND POLITICAL Important Emperors who Patronizes ORIGINS OF ROMAN ARCHITECTURE Architecture in Rome; a. As with sculpture, the Romans 1. Nero borrowed heavily from two cultures that 2. Vespasian they conquered – The ETRUSCANS and 3. Trojan the GREEKS. 4. Hadrian b. Elements of Roman architecture show 5. Septimius Severus very significant Greek influence. 6. Caracalla c. However, Roman functional needs 7. Diocletian sometimes differed, resulting in interesting innovations. F. Historical - From its legendary d. The Romans were less attached to foundation in 753 B.C. and throughout the “ideal” forms and extended Greek ideas to sixth century B.C. Rome was little more make them more functional. e. Romans than an insignificant hill town in South needed interior space for worship, Etruria. It was under Etruscan domination whereas the Greeks worshipped outside. and ruled by Etruscan Kings, aided by a form of popular assembly, Towards the A. GEOGRAPHICAL - The central and close of the sixth century B.C., Etruscan commanding position of Italy in the supremacy began to decline and fall. The Mediterranean Sea enabled Rome to act declaration and development of a as an intermediary in spreading art and constitutional republic and civil service are civilization over Europe, Western Asia and indicative of Roman characteristics; they North Africa. were great organizer, thrifty patient farmer soldiers, dutiful to authority and the law B. GEOLOGICAL - The Romans took and concerned with efficiency and justice. very great pains to exploit natural resources to the full. They also have an PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT ample supply of marbles, terracotta, stones, bricks, sand, gravel and timber. 1. Etruscan – the early inhabitants of Concrete was formed of stones or brick West-central Italy. They were great rubble and a mortar of which the important builders and their methods were taken ingredient was pozzolana. Ex. Terra-cotta over by the Romans. They made and Bricks. remarkable advances in the organization of large scale undertakings, such as the C. CLIMATIC - Rome was divided into construction of city walls and sewers, the three regions: North Italy has the climate draining of marshes and the control of of the temperature region of Europe, rivers, and the cutting of channels to Central Italy is genial {comforting} and regulate the water level of lakes. They sunny, while the South is almost tropical. were credited with the earliest use of the true or radiating arch, TUSCAN. Their D. RELIGIOUS - Since the Romans were temples were oriented at the South. originally a mixed people, their polytheistic religion was the fusion of several cults, but 2. Roman – adopted the columnar and owed most to the Etruscans who involve a trabeted style or the Greeks and scrupulous attention to rituals to developed the arch, vault, and dome of conformity, and to the will of the gods in a the Etruscans. Fatalistic acceptance of their domination. G. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER 1. Vastness and magnificence 2. Ostentation and ornateness Different Types of Vaults Developed by the Romans a. Roman Waggon Vault – semi circular or wagon headed vault otherwise known parallel walls of a rectangular apartment. The Romans adopted the columnar and trabeted style of Greeks, and also the arch and the vault from the beginnings made by Etruscans. This combined use of column, beam and arch is the keynote of the Roman style in its earliest stages. In the colosseum piers are strengthened and faced by attached half column support arches, which in their turn, carry the entablature. In the aqueducts, the arch was supported on piers without the facing column. Thus the orders of architecture (Greek used constructively) were used by Roman as decorative features which could be omitted. The Pantheon at Rome, the first illustration of Roman construction, embodies every form of Roman buttress. The building is two tiers high to the springing of the hemispherical dome inside. But there is an extra tier on the outside, providing rigid and weighty haunches to prevent the dome from splitting outwards and as an extra precaution, a further series of steps of concrete rises two thirds at height of the dome.  2. RECTANGULAR TEMPLES - Roman temples are an amalgamation of Etruscan and Greek types, the typical prostyle portico and podium were derived from Etruscan temples. The most characteristic is pseudo peripteral, which instead of side colonnades, has half columns attached to the walls with a prostyle portico in front, raised in a podium, oriented towards the south. ROMAN ARCHITECTURAL EXAMPLES 1. FORUMS - The forum, corresponding to agora in a Greek city, was a central open space used as a meeting place, market or rendezvous for political demonstrations. In 3. CIRCULAR AND POLYGONAL towns which had grown from small TEMPLES- derived from the temples of beginnings, forums were often somewhat the Greeks and the Etruscans which irregular in shape, but when towns were became the prototype of the Christian newly founded or for some reason partially baptistery rebuilt, the forums were laid out Temple of Vesta, Rome – the most systematically on formal lines. sacred shrine and source of Roman life e.g Forum Romanum, Rome- oldest and power and most important, used as hippodrome The Pantheon, Rome- most famous and Forum of Trajan, Rome- largest forum perfect preservation of all ancient buildings in Rome. It was now converted into a Christian church named Sta. Maria Rotunda. BASILICAS- halls of Justice or assembly public bathing and socialization. Baths hall the usual of basilica was a rectangle were extremely important for romans. twice as long as its width. Either two or They stayed there for several hours and four rows of columns forming a nave or went daily. Wealthier Romans were two or four aisles ran the whole length and accompanied by one or more slaves. After there were sometimes galleries over the paying a fee, they would strip naked and aisles. wear sandals to protect their feet from heated floors. Slaves carried their Basilica of Trajan, Rome – built by masters’ towels and got them drinks. apollodorus of Damascus Before bathing, patrons exercised. They did things such as running, mild weight-lifting, wrestling, and swimming. After exercising, servants covered their masters in oil and scraped it off with a strigil ( a scraper made of wood or bone) which cleaned off the dirt. THREE MAIN PARTS 1. Main Building - Central structure with chief apartments. a. Tepidarium-warm room b. Calidarium- hot room or with hot water bath c. Frigidarium- cooling room d. Sudarium- dry sweating room e. Apodyteria- dressing room f. Palaestra- for physical exercises g. Unctuaria or untoria- place for oils and perfumes. h. Sphaeristerium- game room Xystus or Public Park with Avenues of Trees- a larger open space with trees, statues and fountains, part of it was used as a stadium for foot racing and where Thermae- Palatial public baths of Imperial athletic sports took place. Rome. These were not only designed for luxurious bathing, but were resorted to for news and gossip, and served like a An Outering of Apartments modern club as rendezvous of social life a. Lecture rooms besides being used for lectures and athletic sports, and indeed entered largely b. Exedrae into the daily life of the imperial city. Most Roman cities had at least one, if not many, c. Collonade such buildings, which were enters of d. Large reservoir e. Shops Balneum- small private bath in Roman Palaces and houses containing the Tepidarium, Calidarium and frigidarium. The Colosseum in Rome is best known Theatres or Odeion- built up by means of for its multilevel system of vaults made of concrete vaulting and supporting tiers of concrete. It is called the Colosseum for a seats. Roman theatres often adopted from colossal statue of Nero that once stood the greek to suit the roman drama, and for nearby. It was used for staged battles this the auditorium, which it tiers of seats between lions and Christians, among one above the other, was restricted to a other spectacles, and is one of the most semi circle. famous pieces of architecture in the world. The Colosseum at Rome italy has a vast Theater Orange-considered one of the ellipse 189 x 156.5m with eighty external best preserved Roman theatres in the arcaded openings on each storey, those world and is used today for theatrical on the ground floor forming entrances performances. from which the various tiers of seats were reached. Amphitheares or Colosseum- used for gladiatorial combats, elliptical in plan. The Colosseum, Rome(70-82)- known as “ Flavian Amphitheater” commenced by Vespasian and completed by Domitian. Ground Floor- Doric columns with ¾ shafts Second Floor- Ionic columns Third Floor- Corinthian Columns Fourth Floor- Corinthian pilasters with corbels Circuses- for horse and chariot racing, The Roman had five classes of burial was derived from the Greek Hippodrome. places: Chariot racing was enormously popular, 1.) Coemeteria or Subterranean Vaults and vast sums were spent upon the and later called “Catacombs” by the early training and selection of men and horses. Christian Period. e.g; Circus Maximus, Rome – with a It contained the following: total length of 2,000 feet and width of 650 Columbaria- niches formed in the rock feet and seated 255,000 spectators. to receive a vase containing the ashes of the deceased and with the name inscribed thereon. Loculi- or recesses of corpses were sealed with a front slab inscribed with the name. TOMBS - The Romans practiced both forms of burial, cremation and interment, and thus sarcophagi for the ashes are sometimes found in the same tomb chamber.  2) Monumental Tombs – consisted of large cylindrical blocks, often in a quadrangular podium, topped with a conical crown of slab or stone. e.g. Mausoleum of Augustus, Rome- a huge cylinder 88.39m (290 ft.) in diameter, faced in travertine, supporting a mound of earth, 44.20m (145 ft.) high from the ground, planted with evergreen trees and surmounted b a bronze of effigy of Augustus. TRIUMPHAL ARCHES- erected for emperors and generals commemorating victorious campaigns. The Arch of Titus, Rome (A.D. 82)- with a single opening commemorates the capture of Jerusalem. On each main face attached columns flank the opening and the outer angles, and these are earliest known examples of the fully developed Roman Composite Order. Arch of Constantine, Rome (A.D. 312)- built in honour of Constantine’s victory over Maxentius, is a proportions with eight monolithic detached Corinthian columns supporting an entablature returned back to the wall, and on the attic storey, a Quadriga. Much of the decorative structure was brought from earlier monument of the time of Trajan, and represents incidents of his reign.  TOWN GATEWAYS AND ARCHWAYS Three main types: Those forming part of the protective wall circuit are usually simple but sometimes elaborated into commemorative monuments. Ornamental portals to forums, market places or other large enclosures. Arches built at main street intersections particularly when the main street was colonnaded. e.g. Porte S. Andre, and the PALACES- used to house the emperor's Porte d’ Arroux, Autun Porte De Mars, Rheims Portico of Octavia, Rome- by Palaces of the Emperors, Rome Golden Augustus House of Nero, Rome Palace of Diocletian, Spalato- largest palace and often called “a city in a house” covered a total of 8 acres, almost the size of Escorial, Spain. ROMAN HOUSES - Roman dwelling houses are of three types: 1. Domus or private houses- center of family apartments Typical Parts of a Domus: Prothyrum or entrance passage Atrium or entrance court- open to the sky and at the center is an “Impluvium” a water cistern collector. Tablinum- open living room ded court with garden Peristyle- an inner colonna Cubicula- bedroom Oecus- reception room Alae- recesses for conversation Kitchen and Pantry Triclinia- dining room The House of Pansa tiers of arches, crossing the valley 47.24m Peristyle- a range of columns above the river gard. In two lover tiers the surrounding a court or a temple arch above the river is the wildest and the others vary in width, while in the Atrium- an apartment in a Roman uppermost tier there are 35 arches of house, forming an entrance hall or court, 4.27m span supporting the “specus” or the roof open to the sky in the center. water channel. Compluvium- (rain) a quadrangular e.g.Aqua Marcia, Rome Aqua Claudia, opening in the atrium of a roman house Rome- built by Emperors Caligula and towards which the roof sloped so as to Claudia throw the rain water into a shallow cistern or impluvium in the floor. Prothyrum- a porch or vestibule in the front of the door of a house. | Impluvium- a shallow tank under the compluvium, as opening in the roof of an atrium. Lean-to – a small extension to a building with a roof having but one slope whose supports lean against the building. Tablinum- a large open room or apartment for family records and hereditary statues situated at the end of the atrium farthest from the main atrium. Deuces- the passageway from the street to the atrium AQUEDUCTS- used for water supply, with smooth channels or specus lined with hard cement and carried on arches, in several tiers. The Romans gave importance to an adequate water supply. Immense quantity of water were required for the great thermae and for public fountains, and for domestic supply for the large population. e.g. The Pont du Gard, Nimes, France- forms part of a magnificent aqueduct, 40km (25 miles) long, constructed to bring water to Nimes from the neighborhood of Uzes. It is 268.83m long and formed three Road Building - The need to move e.g. Fountain of the Four Rivers, legions and trade goods in all weather led Rome- by Gianlorenzo Bernini to the development of the best roads in the world (to the 19th century). Roman Appian Way-The Appian Way was the first long road built specifically to transport troops outside the smaller region of greater Rome BRIDGES OR PONS- simple, solid and practical construction designed to resist the rush of water e.g. Pons Sublicius, Rome Pons Mulvius, Rome Pons Fabricius, Rome Bridge of Augustus, Rimini (A.D.14)- the best preserved and one of the finest ancient structure in Italy. EXAMPLES OF ETRUSCAN STRUCTURES: Etruscan Sacorphagi- both ordinary FOUNTAINS- striking features of ancient burial, and cremation were practiced in and modern Rome Etruria. The receptacles grew increasingly Two types: large, until the 4th century B.C. Lacus or Locus- designed similar to a Sarcophagus of stone, alabaster and large basin of water terra-cotta were used in very large Salientes- similar to a large basin of numbers. water with spouting jets  GREEK ARCHITECTURE 3,000-30 BC GEOGRAPHICAL - The rugged nature of the Greek Peninsula and its widespread islands, made communication difficult. It was bounded on two sides by Black sea and the Mediterranean sea”, Athens as its centre kingdom contains the upper city known as “Citadel”. GEOLOGICAL - Marble is the chief building materials in Greece but they also have ample supplies of the building stones. CLIMATIC - Climate was intermediate between “cold and hot”, which favoured an outdoor life with dramatic presentations, most public ceremonies took place in an open air, even in religious rites, due to limited public buildings other than temples. RELIGIOUS “AEGEANS” worship nature, Priestesses rather than priests conduct the religious rites. GREEK represents their deities by large statues. They worship natural phenomena. HISTORICAL Periods of Development A. AEGEAN or Early Period (3000 BC– 700 BC) embraces the civilizations of Crete & mainland Greece from earliest times to about 1,100 B.C. The civilizations ______________________________ grew & expanded, developing a commercial empire protected by naval settled down to their several forms of power. Russia. 2,000 BC– occurred a government- oligarchic, tyrannical or particular invasion of migrant peoples, democratic accelerated further. and by the who may have come originally from South end of 6th century the tempo of events & spoke language like Greek & introduced ideas houses originally designed for more wintry The rule of Pericles (444-429BC) marked climates. Between 1,800-1,600 B.C.– the the climax of Athenian prosperity, and the whole Aegean culture developed until by tremendous outburst of building activity in the latter date it had achieved a power reconstruction which has to express the co-equal with the civilizations of Egypt and ultimate development of Hellenic art and Mesopotamia. Between 1,600-1,400 B.C.– architecture. the brilliance of the civilizations continued, Essentially columnar and trabeated and but there is evidence that the balance of in Acropolis was crowned by Parthenon. power & influence moved in the reserved By the 6th century, Parthenon was direction & Cretan influence declined after converted into a Christian Church 1,500 B.C. In about 1,450-1,400 B.C.– Knossos and other palace towns were destroyed and the civilization they represented collapsed in ruin. B. MYCENAEAN or HELLADIC PERIOD (1,400-1,100BC) Mainland centers had always required defense; quarrelling & violence among the towns perpetuated insecurity and necessity for protection, & the magnificent but grim fortifications of Mycenae and Tiryns conjures up an atmosphere of somewhat barbarity cruelty in strange contrast to the refined architecture, art and living which existed within. 1,300 BC- the wealth of Helladic towns began to decline. 1,200 BC– the Trojan War began. The destruction of Helladic citadels was one of many events which brought about the end of Bronze Age civilization and the advent of the Iron Age in Greece. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER C. HELLENIC GREECE (800-323BC) By A. AEGEAN ARCHITECTURE (circa the 8th century B.C. the city state (“Polis”) 3,000-1,100 B.C.) emerged as the basis of Greek society Characteristic Features: and the Greeks adopted an alphabet from 1. Low pitch or flat roof on multi- storey the Phoenicians, the lack of political unity structures was to some extent countered by a sort of 2. Stairway was developed for vertical federal unity derived from common circulation language, customs and religion. 3. Houses termed as “Megaron” and palaces were principal building types. By600BC the cities of Greece had Megaron areas: Characteristic Features A. Enclosed porch 1. They use rectangular plans B. Living apartment or megaron proper 2. Temples gateway “propylaea” C. Thalamus or sleeping room 3.Collonade surrounds the temple 4. Ceilings were omitted and treated with timber paneled coffers “lacunaria” 5. Walls were made up of stones 6. Marble sculptures completed the buildings 7. Mural paintings on the walls of temples was highly developed 8. Optical illusions were connected from horizontal lines not to appear dropping or sagging from the center, a slight convex outlines were formed for stylobates, 4. Four methods of walling surface cornices and architraves from the temple finishes “Parthenon”, the same with vertical lines A. Cyclopean – a masonry made up of for columns huge stone blocks laid “mortar” B. Polygonal – a masonry which is constructed with stones having polygonal faces C. Rectangular – block of stone cut into rectangular shapes D. Inclined blocks – stones with inclined blocks B. Greek Architecture or Hellenic Period Characteristic of Greek Architecture 1. Simplicity and Harmony 2. Purity of Lines 3. Perfection of Proportions 4. Refinement of Details The Hellenic Period chief building type were temples which were built towards the rising sun (east)  carving of two rampant lions facing a central column. 2. Palaces – used by kings or local chieftains e.g. Palaces of King Minos, Knosses – The whole spanned roughly 122m each way & covered about four acres additionally on the west side, there was paved market court & to the North of it, a thestral area, flanked by banks off broad, shallow steps, for public display and sports Examples of Architectural Structures A. Aegean Architecture or Early Period 1. Gate of Lions, Mycenae – most ancient stone sculpture in Europe- great upright stone jambs support an immense lintel, spanning 3.2 & measuring 4.9m long by 1.06m high in the middle, by 2.4m deep. Above is a triangular relieving opening formed by advancing stone courses, trimmed to shape & filled with a stone slab, 51mm thick, bearing a relief