Why Is Columns Used In Ancient Roman Architecture?

Roman architecture was responsible for developing many different building styles and techniques and the creation of various new ones. Ancient Rome expanded quickly from a small town (founded in 753bc) situated on the Tiber River, to an empire with one fifth of the world’s population under its control. This displayed the strength that they possessed, and the control of many different cultures led to the acquisition of a range of typologies. The result of the architectural influence of other nations (mainly the Greeks and the Etruscans) led to many great masterpieces of art and building design. The Romans took many pre-existing ideals and developed them into new technologies and ways of living; architecture is just one of these developments.

Architecture was very important then, and even now. For example,Greek architects used columns for their buildings (Doc. 1). There are three different types of columns, Doric columns have a plain top, Ionic columns have scrolls, and Corinthian columns have carved stone leaves (Doc. 1).

Columns have been used since the classical period and are still used today in many old and new buildings. Two buildings that use these columns are The Jefferson Memorial and the Supreme Court( Doc 1.). There are three different types of columns. The Doric, the Ionic, and the Corinthian. Ancient Greeks also invented other devices that have an impact on our world today. Some of these are roads, calendars, and architecture. All of these examples are things that are useful in our everyday life.

The ancient Romans created and borrowed fundamental types of concepts that made up buildings. The ideas that the Romans borrowed were basic ideas such as the column. A column is a vertical shaped pillar with the chief design concern of supporting a building. Most columns consist of three parts, the base, the shaft, and the capital. The shaft is usually cylindrical in shape. The Greeks had three basic types of columns, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. All three types have narrow fillets on them. These were small vertical slits that ran the length of the column. The Romans modified the column and added two types, Truscan and Composile. The columns became widely used in homes and temples in Greece and later in Rome ("Architecture").

Trajan's column is one of the only buildings to survive the fall of the Roman Empire, and some researchers are still questioning it purpose in the Roman world. The Trajan column is a 126 foot tall pillar of white Italian marble. But I can't just talk all about everything about Trajan's column at once I will have to start at the beginning.

The palace was built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century. Although it was referred to as a “palace”, because of its intended use as the emperor’s residence, the term might be misleading because the structure of the building is massive and resembles a large fortress. Half of the palace was for the Emperor Diocletian’s personal use, and the rest housed the military garrison. Therefore, it is considered to be one of the most imposing Roman ruins, and its also considered as the main attraction of the city of Spilt, Croatia. Moreover, today, around 3000 people live in the palace’s territory.

One of the greatest technological changes that the Romans came up with was concrete. Concrete served as many proposes in Ancient Rome, just as it does today. Concrete was used to build aqueduct as previously stated, but also it was used to build house, bathhouses, and markets, really any structure in Rome used concrete. The Pantheon was then a Roman temple which still is standing and is used today as a church more than two thousand years later. Researchers had spent years to try to understand how these structures had been standing for so long compared to modern day concrete that does not last anywhere close to that amount of time. They figured out that it had been the volcanic ash they would use in their concrete mix, mixed with the sea

It’s 510 BC and the Roman Empire started to gain strength. They broke treaties and conquered neighboring countries. They revised battle tactics, weapons, legions, but mostly technology to emerge as an undisputed leader of the Mediterranean. The Roman Empire was eager to find new ways, new technology, to help the empire grow beyond imaginable. Arches, military weapons, and basic technology were all created by the Empire. However, the question trying to be answered is, “How did the technology of Roman Empire impact it?” Technology was any invention that helped ease the lives of many or wars to be finished quicker. Through the research of different text sources such as Gedacht, Daniel C. Technology of Ancient Rome. New York, NY: PowerKids Press, 2004 or James, Simon. Ancient Rome. New York, NY: Knopf, 1990, we see technology impacting the knowledge of mankind, and how it has affected people in many different ways.

Rome was one of the last of the ancient civilizations that had the most impact on today’s modern architecture,and engineering, leaving some of the most famous monuments to this day, with this poster you will learn how did roman architects used to build the Colosseum,the Circus Maximus, The baths of Caracalla, Appian Roads, The Pantheon, The Famous Aqueducts, The Trajan’s Forum and learn a little about the city of Pompeii.

Most other civilizations used columns as a support but the ancient Greeks, followed by the ancient Romans used them on the outside for decoration. The ancient Greeks made three classical orders of columns followed by the romans which made two more. Architecture orders Ancient Greece Architecture is based around three orders.

The arch is a very popularly used structure for buildings, even today. They provide a lot of structural support to buildings, the potential to create entryways and also give a unique space to adding art and beauty to the structure being built. Romans saw the beauty in the arch, and decided to use it in many of their building plans. According to the Empire Rome article of architecture, arches originally came from the Etruscans,

Greek architects invented several different styles of columns; the simplest column, called the Doric column, is used throughout architecture today. “In the Doric Order, the column shaft is simple

Il Pantheon (Pantheon) “pan” means all, “theon” means God. It is a preserved intact Roman Empire building, located in the centre of Rome, Italy. It was built in 27-25 BC by Marcus Agrippa, and Emperor Hadrian rebuilt it in 125 AD.

Arguably, one of the most influential structures of Rome was the Pantheon because of its immense size, and the use of concrete for the massive dome. This structure was named the Pantheon most likely because Pliny the elder, a spectator during the time of Vespasian 's rule saw this and referred to it as the “Pantheum”. Although the version of the Pantheon that Pliny the elder saw is not the Pantheon currently in Rome, there are many accounts of what it looked like, and why it was built. Agrippa’s Pantheon, the version that Pliny witnessed, or the original pantheon was built during the Pax Romana. This was a time of peace for the Romans, and to lead them in their endeavors was Emperor Augustus. During this time culture flourished because of there was no need to worry about necessities. From 31 BCE to 14CE the Pantheon was constructed to honor the Julian clan. The result of this was a south-facing rectangular building, with the Thermae of Agrippa, or the Roman public baths to the south. This temple was decastyle, meaning that is had 10 columns on each side. Pliny also mentioned that Diogenes of Athens was commissioned by Agrippa to create the caryatid columns. Caryatid columns are much like sculptures, in that they depict a person, but this person is standing in order to form a column to support another structure. To much dismay this temple was destroyed in the

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