Roman Architecture. Ancient Romans Introduced

¶ … Roman architecture. Ancient Romans introduced many modern and sophisticated techniques in architectural design and were the first people to use concrete in their buildings. This is one reason why most of their buildings have managed to withstand the test of time. ROMAN ARCHITECTURE Roman architecture is considered one of the greatest accomplishments of the Roman Empire because of the lasting impact of its magnificent buildings and sheer grandeur of the architectural designs. Roman architecture finds its roots in the Etruscan architecture of 12 B.C.

And was markedly influenced by Greek architectural designs too. But Roman architects brilliantly added and subtracted on the architecture of preceding eras to introduce new unique techniques and established their name firmly in this field. They left an indelible mark on the architectural world with the power of their grand designs and original style. The most striking feature of Roman architecture is the use of arches and columns, which are found in most of the buildings of that era.

Arches were first used to fill the spaces between columns but later became an important characteristic of Roman architectural designs because of their imposing presence. While the Greeks would normally employ stone for construction, Romans were the first people to make use of concrete in their buildings and this is one reason why many famous Roman buildings are still standing proudly with little wear and tear. Concrete also helped Romans in filling huge interior spaces with beautiful vaults.

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 5th Edition, (1993) explains the importance of vaults in Roman architecture, "The cut-stone construction of the Greeks was largely replaced after the invention of concrete in the 2d century B.C. This enabled architects to cover vast interior spaces with vaults of increasing complexity and without interior supports. These included the barrel vault, the cross or groined vault, and the dome and semi-dome. Vault buttresses, instead of forming exterior projections, became an integral part of the interior support system.

Although unfired brick was employed in all periods, under the empire baked bricks became popular as a facing for concrete walls." Apart from columns, arches and vaults, another interesting feature of Roman architecture is the extensive use of marble on the walls to give them a brilliant immaculate finish. These are some of the important characteristics of Roman architecture and they can be found in all the major buildings of Roman Empire including the Colosseum (a.D.

70-82), a huge amphitheatre present in Italy, which was originally designed to accommodate 50,000 spectators. This amphitheatre is one of the greatest accomplishments of ancient Roman architects because it was built in a manner that allowed for efficient use of space by making it easier to accommodate large crowds and hold big events. Daniel J.

Boorstin, (1992) explains how Romans made use of marble, concrete and bricks to hold their structures together, "By the time of Augustus, marble, used in Roman buildings mainly in slabs for facing or in decorative fragments for mosaics or pavements, was a material more cosmetic than structural. Like stucco, it covered a solid core of brick and concrete. Yet it was concrete that made Rome's grand and distinctive buildings possible.

Bricks, one of the most ancient and familiar building materials, when added in the concrete gave character, novelty and grandeur to Roman works. Bricks embedded in concrete helped hold together grand new shapes." Apart from the Colosseum there are several other beautiful buildings in Rome that remind us of ancient architects who achieved so much with few resources and facilities.

The reason why these buildings have withstood the test of time is because of the use of a special type of sand which when mixed with concrete would make buildings fireproof and water-resistant. This volcanic sand was known as polozzana and it was used with concrete for buildings, which were more likely to face tough weather conditions. Another beautiful example of Roman is the Hadrian's Villa, which is located on the southwest of Tivoli. Yegul (1997) writes, "Spreading over an area roughly twice the size of Pompeii.