History of Architecture I
Roman Architecture V
Temples
Maison Carree The Pantheon
The Roman Forum
The Basilica
Basilica Maxentius Basilica of Ulpia
The Roman Bath
calidarium tepidarium frigidarium natatio
Theaters
Theaters
Theaters
• It was usually constructed on level
ground instead of having its seating
set in a natural bowl as in Greek
architecture
• Seating was restricted to a semi-
circle, a raised stage set in front of
it was backed by a tall structure
extending from one side of the
auditorium to the other
Theaters
Theaters
Theatre of Marcellus
(Early Empire Period, 23-13 BC)
Theatre of Marcellus
• The basic form of the Roman
theatre
• Seating was radial and raised on
arcaded and vaulted substructures
• The structure included radially
aligned ramps and corridors
• The backstage ran from side
to side and was backed by a
tall enclosing wall
• Accommodates 11,000 people
Theatre of Marcellus
The theatre was built mainly of
tuff, and concrete faced with
stones
Theatre of Marcellus
Theatre of Marcellus
Amphitheaters
• The amphitheater was similar in
construction
• It was theater-in-the round, with its
seating completely encompassing
the central arena
• Because of their construction, both
theatre and amphitheater rose
prominently from their
surroundings
Amphitheaters
The Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum)
(Early Empire Period, 80 AD)
The Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum)
• It was begun by the
Emperor Vespasian in
80 AD
• Built on a foundation
ring of concrete with
piers of tufa and
travertine carrying the
concrete vaults
• The amphitheater
measured 188 by
156m, with 50m high,
and had 80
entrances
The Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum)
The floor was 83m by 48m, laid with wood planks over subterranean
chambers through which lions could enter the arena. The floor may be
removed and the arena flooded for naval battles
The Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum)
The Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum)
• The outer wall engaged columns with unfluted Doric on the
ground, Ionic, Corinthian, and finally Corinthian pilasters
on the uppermost forth story
• At the forth story, there were sockets holding masts for the
velarium that could be stretched over the audience to cover
them from the weather
• Between
45,000 to
55,000 people
could be
seated in the
space at one
time
The Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum)
The Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum)
The Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum)
Aqueducts
Aqueducts
Aqueducts
Aqueducts
Piping water technique through the valley and the city. They preferred the
aqueducts to be channels with a consistent slight downward fall to the
distribution reservoirs
Aqueducts
The elevated sections of aqueducts were built of cut stone in simple
arched forms
Aqueducts
Aqueducts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAUqodcXyWQ
Towns and cities
The city of Timgad in Algeria
Towns and cities
• The basic Roman plan consisted
of central forum with city
services, surrounded by a
compact, rectilinear grid
streets
• All roads were equal in width
except for two, which were
slightly wider. Cardo (N-S) &
Decumanus (E-W) intersected
the middle to form the centre of
the grid
• Main buildings were integrated
in the urban space
Cardo Maximus, Jerash, Jordan
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