Roman Architecture

Question 1

Where did Roman architecture originate from?

Answer 1

• Took inspiration from the Greeks but expanded on it
• Influenced by foreign construction techniques, they learnt from everywhere they conquered (Europe, the North Coast of Africa and the Middle East.

Question 2

What were the elements that highlight the start of urban planning?

Answer 2

• Roman roads: example of their straight lines/straightness
• Urban design: Hadrian’s Wall (also acts as defensive architecture)
• Urban planning: Vindolanda (Roman fort near Cambridge)

Question 3

What system did the Roman use for town planning?

Answer 3

a grid system

Question 4

What is cardo?

Answer 4

the grid line/street that runs north-south

Question 5

What is decamanus?

Answer 5

the grid line/street that runs east-west

Question 6

What is an agora?

Answer 6

Agora: public open spaces used as a meeting point/assembelies/markets or area for military camps.

Question 7

How many times was Rome fortified?

Answer 7

As the Roman Empire expanded fortification of Roman cities became increasingly important. Rome fortified 7 times with 7 distinct set of walls delineating city’s continued expansion.

Question 8

What was the Forum?

Answer 8

Forum is the location of the basilica (the centere of business and legal activities), the senate and the temple.

Question 9

What were some common features of the Greek Temple?

Answer 9

• accessible from all angles

Question 10

What were some common features of the Roman Temple?

Answer 10

• one set of stairs
• uni directional
• facing the forum
• odd number of columns

Question 11

What was the basilica?

Answer 11

centre of business and legal activities

Question 12

Why did Romans usually have an odd number of columns in their temples?

Answer 12

So there was a clarity of how to get in (unidirectional).

Question 13

What were some of the structural innovations used by the Romans?

Answer 13

• arches
• vaults
• dome (Romans introduced larger dome)
• entatis

Question 14

What are the two types of vault?

Answer 14

barrel & groin

Question 15

How do arches work?

Answer 15

Arches work by using compressive stress pushing the forces downwards and outwards.

Question 16

What is the difference between a barrel and groin vault?

Answer 16

The barrel vault which is a ceiling or roof made up of a series of arches (think extrusion) and the groin vault which is formed by the perpendicular intersection of two barrel vaults.

Question 17

Where did the dome come from?

Answer 17

The dome is a hemispherical structure evolved from the arch, arch rotated = dome.

Question 18

Where where domes first used?

Answer 18

Domes were first used in huts and tombs in the ancient Middle East, India and the Mediterranean. However the romans introduced a larger scale dome which can be seen in buildings such as the Pantheon in Rome.

Question 19

Who was one of the key figures who documented innovations?

Answer 19

The Romans were the first to document innovations:

• Vitruvius
• Leonardo da Vinci

Question 20

What is the main difference between the Greek theatre and Roman amphitheatre?

Answer 20

The biggest difference between Greek theatre and Roman amphitheatre is the shape: greek = semi circular, roman = circular

Question 21

What does amphitheatre mean?

Answer 21

‘theatre in the round’, amphi is Greek for around.

Question 22

What is another difference between the Greek theatre and Roman amphitheatre in terms of topography?

Answer 22

Another difference is that Greek theatres are built into the topography. Whereas Roman amphitheaters create the same topography within the structure (built on flat ground).

Question 23

What is perhaps the most famous Roman amphitheatre in Rome?

Answer 23

the Colosseum

Question 24

What was the capacity of the Colosseum in Rome?

Answer 24

50,000

Question 25

What orders were the columns in the Colosseum?

Answer 25

first floor = doric order
second floor = ionic order
third floor = corinthian order

Question 26

What types of bricks did Romans use and why?

Answer 26

Much smaller and thinner bricks to ease transportation

Question 27

What is insulae?

Answer 27

Insulae directly translates to “island” in Latin but refers to an apartment building or block in Roman architecture.

Question 28

What construction technique was used that made the National Museum of Roman Art very fireproof?

Answer 28

Made using two layers of thin brickwork with a concrete layer in the middle.

Question 29

What are the main differences between the Greek corbelled arch and the Roman true arch?

Answer 29

• true arch was perfectly round (bricks were placed circularly)
• corbelled arch was slightly pointed (bricks were placed horiszontally)

Question 30

What was the Panthenon?

Answer 30

• Roman temple
• perfect dome
• had an oculus for light
• very symmetrical

Question 31

What is Pantheism?

Answer 31

the belief in multiple gods

Question 32

What were the two mani technologies used by the Romans?

Answer 32

• mosaic floor: artwork made with tiny gemstones used in many public and private buildings, were a display of wealth
• hypocaust: essentially a Roman type of underfloor heating that works by hot air circulating underneath the floor which warms it up

Question 33

What was Hadrian’s Villa?

Answer 33

• 120-130 AD
• located in Tivoli (just outside Rome)
• essentially a mini town
• considering the topography, lines on the land
• it broke apart from the original grid structure
• very influential
• building with water

Question 34

What was the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine?

Answer 34

• AD132, Rome
• Largest building in the Roman Forum
• uni directional
• stated to move to something more christian based
• high level light to nave
• vaults as shrines to gods
• future chapels and transepts
• aisles, nave, apse