Roman Architecture PDF

# Chapter 5: Roman Architecture ## I. Influences ### a. Geographical * Italian Peninsula * Gradual absorption of small states * The position of Italy enabled her to act as the intermediary in spreading over the continent of Europe the arts of civilization * Mountainous ### b. Geological * Marbl...

# Chapter 5: Roman Architecture ## I. Influences ### a. Geographical * Italian Peninsula * Gradual absorption of small states * The position of Italy enabled her to act as the intermediary in spreading over the continent of Europe the arts of civilization * Mountainous ### b. Geological * Marble, Terra-cotta, stone, and brick * Largely used for the more important buildings ### c. Climatic * North Italy–Temperate * Central Italy–Genial and Sunny * South Italy–Tropical ### d. Religious * Adopted Greek gods * Emperor receive divine honors * They would later adopt Christianity as a state religion * Borrowed Roman Deities from Greece: * Jupiter–Zeus * Juno–Hera * Apollo * Vesta–Hestia * Hercules–Heracles * Minerva–Athena * Neptune–Poseidon * Bacchus–Dionysus * Ceres–Dermeler * Diana–Arlermis * Mercury–Hermes * Venus–Aphrodite * Victoria–Nike ### e. Socio-Political * Started as a City State * Etruscans (North) * Greek Colonies (South) * Regal/Kingdom * Ruled by Kings * Republican form (SENATUS POPOLUS QUE ROMANUS) * 2 Consuls – Elected * Patricii (Patres) - Senate ### f. Historical * 750 BC - Founding of the city of Rome * 753BC-509BC - Roman Kingdom * 509BC-27BC - Roman Republic * 272BC - 1st Punic Wars (Conquered Sicily) * 146BC - Conquered Corinth, Greece Jerusalem and West Asia * 63BC - Gaul (Spain and France) * 50BC - Britain * 43BC - Egypt * 31 BC - Roman Empire * 27BC-395 - PAX ROMAΝΑ * 27 - Tetrarchy * 284-305 - Christianity as State Religions * 395 - Split of the Eastern and Western Roman Empire ## II. Architectural Character * **VASTNESS | MAGNIFICENCE** * **OSTENTATION | ORNATENESS** * **Structural System:** Arch, Vault and Dome (Arcuated) ### a. PLAN * Plans convey vastness and magnificence ## III. Examples ### a. Etruscan Architecture * Capitoline Temple * Largest Etruscan temple known. ### b. Fora (Forum) * An open space used as a meeting place and market, or a rendezvous for political demonstrators * Surrounded by colonnades * **FORUM ROMANUM** * Oldest Roman Forum * Grouped around it were some of the most important historical buildings * **IMPERIAL FORUM** * Collection of forums erected by emperors ### c. Temples * Combination of Greek and Etruscan Intluences * Placed on a **PODIUM** * Pseudo-peripteral cella with engaged columns * Prostyle Porch with free-standing columns * Entrance Steps between Projecting Wing Walls * Made to face the **FORUM** * **RECTANGULAR** * At Rome, Italy * Temple of Forluna Virilis (Church of Sta. Maria Egiziaca) * Temple of Mars Ultor * Stood in the Forum of Augustus * One of the Largest Roman Temples * 17 meters high columns * 3 columns and a pilaster remains * Temple of Concord * Temple of Castor and Pollux(Also known as Temple of Jupiter Stator) * Temple of Vespasian * Temple of Antoninus and Faustina (Church of San Lorenzo) * Temple of Venus and Rome * Consists of two cellas * Apse placed back to back * Pseudo-dipteral Decastyle * Niches for statues inside * Temple of Saturn, * At Athens, Greece * Temple of Jupiter Olympius * At Nimes, France * Maison Carree * Best preserved of all Roman Temples * **Pseudo-peripteral Prostyle Hexastyle** * Temple of Diana * **Nymphaeum-Grotto for Nymphs** * At Spalato, Croatia * Temple of Aesulapius * At Baelbec, Lebanon * Great Temple * Temple of Jupiter * At Palmyra, Syria * Great Temple of the Sun * **CIRCULAR AND POLYGONAL** * At Rome, Italy * Temple of Hercules Victor (Temple of Vesta) * Pantheon * Best example of Roman architecture * Its great dome remained unchallenged until 1420's Florence Cathedral * Built by Hadrian * Circular portion - **ROTUNDA** * Church of Santa Maria Rotunda * Corinthian Octastyle Portico * Oculus - to let the light inside * Dome/Copula is a hemisphere having The inner surface coffered * Lacunaria - Coffered Ceiling * Temple of Vesta * At Tivoli, Italy * Temple of Vesta * At Spalato, Croatia * Temple of Jupiter * At Baelbec, Lebanon * Circular Temple ### d. Basilica * Halls of Justice * Exchanges and Trading for Merchants * A link to Classical to Christian Architecture * Rectangle plan with the length 2-3 times the width. * 2 or 4 rows of columns ran through the entire length. * Entrance at the side or at one end * Tribunal placed at a Semicircular Apse * Altar in front of the apse * Basilica Ulpia, Rome * Architect: Apollodorus of Damascus * Basilica of Maxentius, Rome * 2 apses, North and West * Lunettes - means to introduce light to the interior. ### e. Thermae * Great Public Baths are quite as characteristic of Roman civilization as the amphitheatres, being probably derived from the Greek gymnasia * **AREAS** * **Central Block** * Tepidarium - warm room for rest * Sudatorium (Laconium) - hottest room for sweating * Calidarium - hot room with warm water bath * Frigidarium - cool room with cold swimming bath * Apodyteria - room for undressing * Unctuarium - room for oils, ointments, pomades and perfumes * **Sphaeristeum - gymnasium and games** * **Xystus** * This surrounded the central block and was frequently laid out as a stadium, with raised seats for spectators. It was also used for various athletic exercises, or for lounging, and portions were planted with trees and ornamented with statues. * **Outer ring of apartments** * These consisted of lecture rooms for the hearing of discourses, open colonnades, exedrae or recesses for the philosophers, poets and statesmen, and other necessary apartments. * Baths of Carcalla * Fully developed imperial bath * Accommodated 1,600 bathers * Included gardens * Hypocaust-Heating furnaces * Thermae of Agrippa * Earliest example * Thermae of Diocletian * The lepidarium was converted into the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli * Stabian Baths * Earliest public baths * **BALNEUM** * Small private baths * Trajan's Balneum ### f. Theatres * Adapted the design of Greek Theatres * Restricted to a semicircle shape * Inner semicircular area reserved for Senators * Stage was raised and treated ornately * Theatres can now be constructed on a plain site by the means of vaulting * Theatre at Orange, France * Held 7,000 spectators * Partly constructed and partly hollowed out of a hillside * Theatre of Marcellus * First permanent theatre in Rome * 2 Levels of Arcading * Used Tuscan and lonic Order * Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Athens * 6000 seating capacity * Partly hewn from the Acropolis rock and partly constructed ### g. Amphitheatre * Used for gladiatorial contests and naval expeditions * Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre) * Started by Vespasian * Completed by Domitian * First permanent amphithetre at Rome * Max. seating is 50,000 * Hidden dens for wild beasts located underneath * Amphitheatre at Verona * Amphitheatre at Pompeii ## IV. Other Structures ### i. Circus * Adaptation of the Grock Stadium (Stadion) * Used for chariot or horse races * Long open circular arena * Spina along its axis * Carceres stalls for horses and chariots * Circus Maxentius ### j. Memorial Monuments * Pillars of Victory - memorial columns erected to record triumphs of victorious generals * Column of Marcus Aurelius * Trajan's Column * Triumphal Archs - These were erected to emperors or generals in honour of their victories * May serve as entrance to towns * **Single-arched Type** * Arch of Titus, Rome * Commemorates the capture of Jerusalem * Composite Order * Arch of Trajan, Ancona * Arch of Trajan, Beneventum * Arch of Sergii, Pola * Arch of Augustus, Susa * Arch of Augustus, Aosta * Arch of Augustus, Rimini * Arch of Hadrian, Athens * Arch of the Coldsmiths, Rome * **Three-arched Type** * Arch of Septimius Severus, Rome * Arch of Constantine, Rome * Arch at Orange * **Arches as Entrances** * Arch of Janus, Rome * Porta Nigra * Porta San Andre * Porta des Mars * Porta Aurea ### k. Tombs * 5 varieties of Roman tombs * **Catacombs** - subterranean vaults/caves * Loculi - Recess for corpses * Columbaria - niches on walls for urns * **Monumental Tombs** - tower-shaped circular or square blocks * **Pyramid Tombs** - Egyptian inspired * **Smaller Tombs** - isolated monuments were often erected along the sides of roads * **Eastern Tombs** - Near East inspired * Cenotaph - for persons buried elsewhere * ### l. Aqueduct * Engineering Feature * Supplies water to the city * 6 inches fall for every 100 feet * A smooth channel-specus- is carried on arches * Aqua Marcia * Aqua Claudia * Anio NoVUS * Pont du Gard, France * Aqueduct at Aspendos * Aqueduct at Segovia ### m. Pons * Roman Bridges * Pons Cestius * Puente de Alcantara ### n. Palaces * Royal Courts * Of the Roman palaces the ruins only remain * Diocletian's Palaces ### o. Dwellings * **Domus** - private house * **PARTS OF A DOMUS** * Prothyrum - Entrance * Atrium - Open court * Impluvium - water cistern * Tablinum - open saloon * Fauces - narrow passages * Peristyle - Inner garden * Cubiculae - Bedrooms * Triclinum - Dining Room * Oecus - Reception room * Alae * Kitchen * Pantry * Shops * recesses * **Insula** - many-storied tenement * **Villa** - country house * Hadrian's Villa, Rome ### p. Fountains * Lacus-large basins of water * Salientes - sprouting jets ## IV. Architectural Elements ### a. Arch, vault and the dome made possible the use of wide openings and large spaces. ### b. Wall * Use of stone or concrete * Externally faced with stone, brick or stucco * Internally with marble, alabaster or porphyry. * Types of Wall Facing: * **OPUS QUADRATUM** * Rectangular blocks of stone * With or without mortar joints * Frequently secured with dowels/cramps * **OPUS INCERTUM** * Oldest * Irregular shaped pieces of stone * **OPUS TESTACEUM** * Net-like stone work * Brick facing * Triangular in plan * **OPUS MIXTUM** * Alteration of courses of brickwork ### c. Openings * Important features * Square headed or the semicircular arch. * Parts of a Roman Arch: * Crown * Haunch * Rise * Intrados * Springing Line * KeyStone * Voussoir * Extrados * Springer * Impost ### d. Roofs * Vaults and domes * Wooden coffered ceilings in houses of the rich * Terra-colla - Elruscans * Bronze for more important buildings * Kinds of Vaults: * Semicircular/wagon-headed vault (Barrel Vault) * Cross Vault (Groin Vault) * Hemispherical Dome/Cupola ### e. Columns * Columns were used in connection with the arch * Lost their structural importance * Used as decorative elements * Added the Tuscan and Composite columns * Doric Order was added with a base * Columns are elevated with pedestals * The Corinthian Order was the favorite of the romans * Tuscan Order is a simplified Doric Order * Composite Order is a combination of lonic and Corinthian Orders * **TUSCAN ORDER** * Simplified Doric * Plain and unfluted column and simple entablature * **DORIC ORDER** * Was little used by the Romans * Not being suited to their ideas of magnificence and splendor * Added a base * Columns were less sturdy * Flutes were sometimes omitted * **IONIC ORDER** * Uses Angled Volutes * Entablature is of a richer definition * **CORINTHIAN ORDER** * Favorite of the Romans * Used in the largest temples * Entablature is enriched by ornamentation * Shatts were fluted or plain * **COMPOSITE ORDER** * Invented by the Romans * Used mostly in the Triumphal Arches * Used the Volutes of the lonic Order * Combined with the Acanthus Leaves of the Corinthian ### f. Mouldings * Coarse in character * Ostentation replaced refinement * Wealth in surface decoration * Circle profile ### g. Ornaments * Romans did not excel in painting and sculpture, but Greek artists were employed. * Mosaics and Fresco Paintings for Walls * **Types of Mosaic:** * OPUS TESSALATUM (VERMICULATUM) * Square tesserae of stone, marble or glass * OPUS SECTILE(SCUTULATUM) * cut in various shapes * OPUS SPICATUM * Herringbone (Chevron) pattern * **Types of Murals:** * FRESCO * **TEMPERA** * **VARNISH** * **CAUSTIC**