ROMANS (1100 BCE- 476 CE)

Roman architecture

+Essence of the romanitas

+Singular technical advance: arches, vaults and domes (except temples)

+Ideals they followed: stability, functionality and magnificence

Religious buildings: Temple

+Romans used the Greek orders inclines to naturalism, vitally and energy of the Etruscans

+Normally they placed their temples on very high podium whose staircase was located in the axis of the door of the cella

+Different types of plants

+Romans were experts in the design of infrastructures such as: Sewage networks, aqueducts, roads, bridges, walls.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

Commemorative w. : Experts in infrastructures such as Triumphal arches and commemorative columns

Thermal baths: Played an important role in society

Theatre:
-Their steps were built on a radial system of inclined concrete vaults raised on stone pillars, they were perfectly semi-circular and not horseshoe like the Greeks.

-The main parts of a theatre were:

+Scænæ: stage house.

+ Orchestra: space between the cavea and the scænæ.

+Cavea: seating section

Amphitheater:

-Main Roman architecture’s innovation

-They present a double theatre with elliptical scene and a continuous grandstand

-Dedicated to fights between gladiators

Basilica:

-Conceived as courts of justice for legal proceedings

-Usually rectangular, with central nave and aisles with a stage and apse at each of the two ends

Circus: The Roman circus was destined for races, gladiatorial combats, shows and performances

PRIVATE BUILDINGS

Domus: Mosaics, paintings and sculptures for decoration, they also had water, sewage and heating facilities

Insula:

-dwellings of the plebeians who constituted the most numerous part of the population (Def.)

-They were built with low quality materials and wood

CITIES

-orthogonal planning, derived from the camps (castrum) that were the basis of the planning

-In the heart of the city was the forum ( basilica one of the main buildings of it)

-The two main orthogonal streets were drawn from the forum:

+Cardus (North-South)

+Decumanus (East – West)

-They had a system of walls and fortified gates