Architecture In Roman Architecture

The purpose of this ORTO is to illustrate the extend to which Roman architecture, from the late 2nd centaury BC to the 4th century AD, had an influence and effect of modern western architecture. Therefore the aims of my ORTO are as follows:

Modern Architecture around the globe had been influenced by ancient Roman and Greek architectural. Although both ancient Romans and Greeks are recognized for their innovations in architecture having both constructed a variety of buildings and structures that can still be appreciated today, they appear to have concentrated mostly on the creation of temples which at first sight seem similar but in reality they each diverged and had their own identity and served for different purposes.

Many centuries before the birth of Christ, the city of Rome grew, prospered, and developed into a thriving Republic. As in most cultures, Rome's buildings became more elaborate and impressive. They developed fantastic building technologies and ideas. The feats of Roman engineers were groundbreaking, and many structures built by this culture still stand today. With knowledge borrowed from the Greeks, Rome made impressive architectural achievements, these were namely major attributes of buildings, colossal structures, and a legacy that would influence later buildings (Cornell and Matthews 11).

The Roman Empire is credited with the development of many great achievements. These achievements can still be seen in Rome and throughout the world. The Romans are well known for their aqueduct system and huge colosseum that are still standing today. These monumental building feats would not have been created without the use and knowledge of many different techniques. The use of cement was one of the technologies employed to build these large structures. The utilization of arches was another. Many people associate the idea of arches with the Romans. However, they were not the first people to utilize arches. This paper will concentrate on why the Romans were credited with developing the arch; what they did to improve previous cultures use of arches; and how the Romans used arches to create massive structures that are still standing today.

The Romans are known for their civil and military architecture all around their empire. The Romans invented several architecture and engineering structures. They developed the arch, the dome, the Roman concrete, and the pavement. The pavement was a structure that is used to solve some of the issues they found to build the net of roads along their empire. They needed durable roads that would last a long time and support heavy loads. The basic structure of the pavement is a lower layer close to the ground that is called the sub base. It was made out of gravel. Above that layer there is another layer which is the base. It is made out of sand. On top of that there were pieces of stone that were cut into a square or rectangular

These materials were used to build specific structures and technology. First of all, whenever they had to have water travel across valleys or other open landscapes, the Romans built bridges made of arches. These arches saved materials and money, as it took less to build arches than to build a solid wall. Also, arches were much more stable than a wall and were easily repairable. It was easy for pedestrians and vehicles to pass through the arches, too. However, when

The Romans’ most greatest techniques of architectures were influenced by its of the Etruscans and has developed three architectural features: arch, dome and vault in the 1st century BC. Romanesque architecture has characteristically elements: Semi-circular arch, Barrel vaulting of the nave, thick buttress walls and Gothic architecture has three elements which came together in Gothic period: Pointed arch, Ribbed vault and Flying buttress.

The Romans built Arches all over the empire to commemorate military triumphs and other significant events. The Roman arch was the foundation of Rome's architectural glory. Arches permitted Romans to build bigger buildings, longer roads, and better aqueducts. The arches direct pressure downwards and outwards which allows it to have the ability to support heavy structures. The main feature of the arch is the keystone. It is the last thing added during construction and it locks all the other stones into place. There is a keystone at the top of every arch. The Romans did not invent arches. They have been used since prehistoric times. The prehistoric arches however could only support small structures whereas the Roman arches could support very

The arch enabled them to cover large amounts of land due to weight disbursement as the shape reduces the stress incurred by the structure (Kamm, n.d.). In addition, the Romans used triumphal arches to commemorate achievements both in battle and

Roman arches are of great importance, not only to Rome but to the world as a whole. The arch was not invented by the Romans, as arches have been used in cultures far predating the Romans; however, the Romans did find a way to perfect the arch. Before the Romans, arches were used to support relatively small amounts of weight, such as in storerooms, these arches limited the scale of buildings they supported. The Romans however used arches to support immense amounts of weight. The reason for the arches newfound strength lies not with the shape of the arch, but within the material used to construct it. Through the invention of concrete, Romans were able to construct arches that would hold the weight of structures such as the aqueduct, which provided water to entire cities. Soon, several cultures adopted the Roman arch to support their own

One of Roman Engineering’s greatest accomplishments was the use of the arch. The arch shape is very strong, able to support great amounts of weight. This allowed Romans to build massive structures that would stand for many centuries. The Romans adapted the arch design to fit many purposes. The barrel vault is merely an elongated arch; this was used for buildings tombs and sewers. The dome is an adaptation of the arch. The dome is an arch revolved on its vertical axis. The best example of the dome in ancient Rome is the Pantheon. The basic arch was used in almost every large building in Rome. Romans also used

A common theme noticed in the architectural history of Rome is the use of arches. Whether used for their quality and bolster, or raised for their fancy magnificence, evidence of ancient Rome’s love for the arch has lasted throughout history. One of the more famous employments of curves in Roman building design is found in the Roman aqueduct system. A fascinating waterway system designed to carry fresh water from the surrounding highlands into the heart of the city, the aqueduct system was considered highly advanced for its time. The invention and use of aqueducts helped to shape the culture and mold a way of life for ancient Rome.

When we think of Roman architecture there are many ancient structures but which come to mind? The Coliseum in Rome, the Triumphal Arches of Titus and Constantine, The Pantheon of Rome, and the Pont-de-Gard in Nimes, France. Often the success of a society is judged by the structures it creates. Therefore, the might of Rome can be seen not only in its engineering projects and structures, which rivaled all other ancient civilizations, but also in the sense of order and superiority which was conveyed by their achievements. The Pantheon of Rome and The Pont-de-Gard in Nimes, France are two classical examples.

I will begin by explaining what “concrete and the arch” are all about. Nowadays, a concrete simply means a strong hard building material composed of sand and gravel and cement and water, but in ancient Rome, a concrete is a mixture that included lime and volcanic sand. While arch on the other hand means a curved structure that is usually made of stone, brick, concrete, or, more recently, steel (Visual Arts Encyclopedia n.d.). Below is the development of both concrete and arch, their importance in the life of Rome, as well as the result of using them:

As the saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” however long it took to build the capital, the days, months, years, centuries of work can be viewed as a long lasting landmark which paved the way for new and challenging architecture to come (How Roman architecture influenced modern architecture [sa]). According to Tony Rook (2013: [sp] ch.2) the typical Roman temple shows the Etruscan tradition combined with the Greek one. Although some of their premature concepts were acquired from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, Roman architects transformed the body of architecture for all time to come, offering buildings and structures that has never been before, along the side of public buildings and infrastructure that could be used by