Focus on the Main points of Roman Architecture from 1st and 2nd B.C to 1st A.D their main features ,Materials and purpose

1. Roman Art
Second & First Centuries B.C
this is the era of Roman Republic 500 B.C to 100 B.C
1st
century A.D
this is the era of Roman Empires 1A.D to 300 A.D
Architecture
The Romans wereskilled engineers and they made variety of building types
Location
There remains arein Europe, the Middle East and Africa
Material Used
 Wood
 Mud Brick
 Fired Brick
 Stone
 Stucco
 Concrete
they were the first to use concrete
Buildings System
Postand Lintel
 Copied fromthe Greeks
 Spaces are closed by straight lines
 Vaulted
 Taken fromthe Etruria
 Use of arches
 Use of domes
 Strong walls so that they do not use external supports
Purpose of Buildings
 Romans needed interior spacefor worship.
 The Ancient Romans intended that public buildings should be made to impress, as
well as perform a public function.

2.  The buildings were also build according to their financial means
Innovations
 COLUMNS
 To the original Greek orders, the Romans added two.
 TUSCAN
Simplified Doric having unfluted column and a plain base, capital and
shafthaving no decoration other than moldings
 COMPOSITE
it combined elements of the both ionic and Corinthian orders.
 CONCRETE
They not only used in bases, but also walls to be constructed of mainly
concrete or concrete and rubble.(Colosseum)
The result was strong structures thatcould be formed in any desirableshape
 ARCH & VAULT
The Romans firstadopted the arch fromthe Greeks, and implemented it
in their own building. An arch is a very strong shape.They used half point or
semi-circular arches. They could use lintels abovethese arches. Pediments
were combined with them
Types of vault
Tunnel Vault A vault having semicircular cross-section. Windowscan be
places anywhere.
Cross Vault A compound vault formed by the perpendicular intersection
of two vaults forming arched diagonal arises
 Dome
A dome is a vaulted structure having a circular plan. Romans used domes
to span and cover very large open spaces. They used it in many public buildings
like basilicas(functioned as law courts, public halls and audience chambers for
rulers)
 Examples
 House of Menander (Pompeii)
In this alternation of small and large spaces. High ceilings and free passageof
air from the garden to front doorhelped to coolthe house
 Maison Carree
Corinthain order is used in this building and it has high base, frontal steps and deep
porch