Arcitecture. in Anc. Rome

hail of Caesar after Caesar and Emperor after Emperor, Roman architecture expanded and influenced building over the world. Unlike the Empire, though, Roman design did not die at the hands of the Germanics, or rather at the hands of self-destruction; it continued to expand and play a part in every major style throughout history. Today, a look at any bridge, tunnel, skyscraper and most buildings will reveal a Roman influence. Even through its empire’s own tribulations and defeat, architecture has stood as an everlasting symbol of what Rome once was, and what the rest of the world is today. To conclude, Roman architecture cannot be looked at as a mere time period or cultural event, for its ramifications lie beyond cultures and beyond time itself.

If the Roman era were to be classified as a time of advancement, then let architecture be one of the greatest advancements. Rome’s ability to challenge and change the precedents set by its older brother Greece was the key to the Roman Empire’s greatness. The precedent challenged, or more the limit surpassed that was key to architecture was the incorporation and widespread use of the arch. Rome’s ability to spread its empire with minimum supplies and efficiency can all be attributed to the advancement in architecture. While it is valid to say that Roman architecture expanded as the Roman Empire did, it might do more just to say that the advancements in architecture led to the advancement of the Roman Empire. If asked how Romans spread their power throughout the world, the response might be that Rome’s armies spread the power. But how did Romans move across the Empire? And how were towns able to survive across the empire? How is it that Romans were able to sustain such great cities? And how is it that every Roman town was so similar to Rome itself? The profound answer would be the advancements in architecture.

Roman architecture is not a variable, it is, and forever will be, a constant. Unlike cultures before them, the Romans were not intimidated by the curve, “Greece, like the Orient, had been shy of the curve.” (Brown 20) It had proven very difficult for predecessors to successfully negotiate an angled surface; it not only took great skill, but the right kind of material and design. The Romans, however, saw great advantages in curved structures such as the arch, vault and dome. Use of the arch and its principles date back to ancient architecture; however, the Romans revolutionized the way the arch was used, and in that changed the face of architecture. The concept of the arch was to support a structure spanning a wide distance. Builders before had used beams and columns for support, but they had sometimes been too weak.(Encarta) The Roman architects were not concerned with embodying an innovative new design; they were impressed with the practical advantages of the arch and the greater amount of load it could support. The concept was a step up from the Greek post-and-lintel system, where many temples and public structures were erected on columns. Through time, the arch proved to be worthy of any task, whether it was supporting a long bridge, or giving rise to a Gothic cathedral. As is the case with many Roman designs, the arch can be seen in many modern structures. The vault was used by the Romans, predominantly, as ceilings and roofs of buildings or rooms and support for ceilings. It is basically a string of connected arches forming a semi-spherical structure. The simplest of the vaults was the barrel, or tunnel, vault. It was supported by straight walls on its side and was very sustainable. Another system the Romans fancied was the groin vault, where two barrel vaults come together and cross each other. Vaults were used in structures like the Coliseum to cover corridors and in the public baths of Roman cities. The third advance, which came to use by the Romans, was the dome. The dome, like the arch and vault, was widely used in many grand structures. It was a spheric

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