Ancient Roman Civilization: Architecture and Engineering

City of Rome

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Architecture and Engineering

What type of innovations came from the Ancient Roman Civilization? What influences can we see in our society today? Can you give two examples?
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Plan of the City of Rome

By the time of Augustus, Rome had grown from a tiny settlement on the Tiber River to a metropolis at the center of an expanding empire. Under the republic Rome became the political capital of the Mediterranean and a symbol of Roman power and wealth.

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Roman Cities

The typical Roman city of the later Republic and empire had a rectangular plan and resembled a Roman military camp with two main streets. Older cities, such as Rome itself, consisted of a maze of crooked streets. The focal point of the city was its forum, usually situated at the center of the city.

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The Forum was the main marketplace and business center, where the ancient Romans went to do their banking, trading, shopping, and marketing. It was also a place for public speaking.

It was also the site of the city's primary religious and civic buildings, among them being the Senate house, records office, and basilica
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All Roads Lead to Rome

Why do you think a system of roads was important to the survival of the Empire?
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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. 7
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Pompeii was an ancient Roman city, buried by by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

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When archaeologists began excavating the city of Pompeii, they found the remains of people, ancient buildings, and other artifacts preserved amid the volcanic debris.

Among the structures uncovered was The Forum of Pompeii,a group of temples, courts, and palaces that served as the citys legislative center.
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Basilica

The basilica was a roofed hall with a wide central areathe naveflanked by side aisles, and it often had two or more stories. In Roman times basilicas were the site of business transactions and legal proceedings The first basilicas were put up in the early 2nd century b.c. in Rome's own Forum, but the earliest well-preserved example of the basilicas (circa 120 b.c.) is found at Pompeii.

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This Roman basilica was begun by the emperor Maxentius between 307 and 310 and completed by Constantine the Great after 312. Although it was one of the most important monuments in classical antiquity, almost all that remains of the building are these three huge, barrel-vaulted bays

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The Pantheon in Rome is one of the most famous buildings in the world. It was commissioned by Hadrian in 118 and completed in 128.

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Roman Theaters

Roman theaters first appeared in the late Republic. They were semicircular in plan and consisted of a tall stage building abutting a semicircular orchestra and tiered seating and were often constructed in the hearts of the cities.

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Amphitheater

Amphitheaters (literally, double theaters) were elliptical in plan with a central arena, where gladiator and animal combats took place, and a surrounding seating area built on the pattern of Roman theaters. The earliest known amphitheater (75 bc) is at Pompeii.

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The Colosseum in Rome (70-82) is best known for its multilevel system of vaults made of concrete. It is called the Colosseum for a colossal statue of Nero that once stood nearby, but its real name is the Flavian Amphitheater. It was used for staged battles between lions and Christians, among other spectacles, and is one of the most famous pieces of architecture in the world.
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Aqueduct

Among the other great public building projects of the Romans, the most noteworthy are the network of bridges and roads that facilitated travel throughout the empire, and the aqueducts that brought water to the towns from mountain sources (Pont du Gard, late 1st century bc or early 1st century ad, near Nimes).
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The Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard near Nmes, France, was built between the late 1st century bc and the early 1st century ad. The Romans built extensive systems of aqueducts to carry water to their residential areas from distant sources.
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Summary
A clear picture of Roman architecture can be drawn from the impressive remains of ancient Roman public and private buildings. Many of our modern government institutions are modeled after the Roman system, as is much of our public architecture.

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Builders laid the cornerstone for the United States Capitol in 1793, and the building has been the seat of the countrys Senate and the House of Representatives since 1800. The Rotunda stands 66 m (180 ft) high and is the symbolic center of both Capitol Hill and Washington, D.C.
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