ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

AMPHITHEATER (Colosseum, Rome)

A classical arena for gladiatorial contests and spectacle consisting of an oval or round shape surrounded by tiered seating for spectators.

PARTS:

Doric Order, 1st storey

Ionic Order, 2nd storey

Corinthian Order, 3rd storey

Composite order, 4th storey

Balteus, corona podii – parapet

Podium – diginitaries’, enclosure, ringside

Maenianum primum, ima cavea – first tier

Maenianum media, media cavea – second tier

Maenianum summum, summa cavea – upper tier

Maenianum summum in lignis – upper wooden tier, peanut gallery

Gradus – row of seats

Praecinctio, precinctio, balteus – horizontal gangway

Aditus – entrance to cavea

Vomitorium (pl. vomitoria) – exit, escape route

Pulvinar – box, loge; (a) emperor’s, (b) consuls’ and Vestal virgins

21. Porta Triumphalis – triumphal gate

22. Porta pompae – ceremonial route

23. Porta libitinensis – funerary gate

24. Porta Sanavivaria – gate of life

25. Hypogeum, hypogaeum – underground spaces

Thermae

Thermae of Caracalla.

Establishments that were built for washing, as well as exercising, entertaining, and conducting business.

BASILICA

Basilica of Maxentius. Rome.

A Roman building-type, rectangular in shape with an apse at either end, used as a meeting place, courthouse, marketplace, and lecture hall.

Forum Romanum

Oldest forum in Rome; Republican Forum; Open space, rectangular in shape, enclosed by different institutional and public buildings, serving as the city's marketplace and centre of public business.

FORUM

Roman Forum, Italy.

The public square or marketplace of an ancient Roman city, the center of judicial and business affairs, and a place of assembly for the people, usualy including a basilica and a temple.

Imperial Forum

No streets and no spatial or axial connections between the spaces; the elements are simply bonded to each other to create a sequence of open, colonnaded, and enclosed spaces.

Vault

An arched structure of stone, brick, or reinforced concrete, forming a ceiling or roof over a hall room, or other wholly or partially enclosed space.

Arch

A curved structure for spanning an opening, designed to support a vertical load primarily by axial compression.

Opus

Plural opera, "work" (Latin); an artistic composition or pattern, especially as used in relation to Roman stonework and walling construction.

Roman concrete

Combined volcanic ash - called pozzolana - and lime with sand, water, and gravel.

The Roman Orders

The orders of ancient Roman classical architecture: Tuscan or Etruscan and Composite.

TUSCAN

The Etruscans' simplified version of the Doric Order with smooth-shafted columns, a simple capital, base and entablature.

COMPOSITE

A classical Roman order, a hybrid of Ionian and Corinthian, with fluted columns, a capital with both volutes and acanthus leaves, a base and an entablature with dentils.

THEATRUM (Pompeii, Italy)

A roman theatre building pr structure; a building or arena with a stage and auditorium for the production and performance of theatrical works.

PARTS:

Logeion, pulpitum - platform

Proskenion, okribas, proscaenium – front stage

Hyposkenion – lower stage

Episkenion – upper stage

Skenotheka, scaena frons – stage wall

Aulaeum – curtain

Parapetasma, siparium – secondary curtain

Orkhestra, orchestra – choir

Thymele – altar

Paraskenion, versurae – secondary stage

Parados, itinera versurarum – side entrance

Thyroma – stage door

21. Prohedria – front seats

22. Podium – dignitary seating

23. Kerkis, kekrides, cuneas – seating block

24. Diazoma, Praecinctio – Gangway

25. Klimakes – Steps

26. Gradus – seating row

CURIA (Curia Julia)

Senate House; Greek prytaneion

TRIUMPHAL ARCH (The Arch of Constantine, Rome)

A large arch monument constructed in a public urban place to commemorate a great event, usually a victory in war.

CIRCUS (Circus Maximus)

In roman architecture, a long U-shaped or enclosed arena for chariot and horse racing; Greek Hippodrome

AQUEDUCT (Pont du Gard)

A bridge or other structure designed to convey fresh water, usually a canal or river supported by piers and arches or a tunnel; from latin “aquae ductus”, means conveyance of water.

DRAINAGE (Cloaca Maxima).

Main storm drainage system; one of the world’s earliest sewage systems.

PALACE (Palace of Diocletian, Split, Croatia)

Diocletian’s palace is part of a fortified camp, party city, and part villa. It is in the form of a slightly irregular rectangle (175 by 216 m) protected by walls and gates, with towers projecting from the western, northern, and eastern facades.

DECUMANUS

the principal axis or street of a Roman town, encampment etc., generally running east-west and crossed towards one end by the cardo.

CARDO

shorter main axis or street in atypical Roman city, town or military encampment (castrum), running to north to south and crossing the decumanus.

TEMPLE (Pantheon, Rome, Italy)

The world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. It served as a temple, church, and tomb for the past centuries. The building was sited in an area north of the old city center known as Campus Martius.

Occulus

pantheon’s tapered roof;

Soffit

hollowed pattern inside the occulus.

DOMUS

The patrician townhouse: has party walls on its flanks and an enclosed back area, its principal opening to the exterior is located on the street front.

PARTS:

VESTIBULUM (entrance)

TABERNAE (shop)

CUBICULUM (bedroom)

IMPLUVIUM

OECUS (reception room)

TRICLINIUM (dining room)

CUCINA (kitchen)

GARDEN DING ROOM

PERISTYLIUM

INSULA (Casa di Diana, Italy)

A roman masonry and concrete tenement block for the labouring classes, often a multistorey structure with commercial premises and workshops (tabernae) at street level, originally the plot of land bounded by urban streets, on which one was built. PARTS: tabernae; courtyard, light well

VILLA (Villa dei Misteri)

A large classical rroman country house with an estate; originally divided into two parts, the pars urbana, or living area, and pars rustica or working area.

PARTS:

ATRIUM – court

IMPLUVIUM – pool

TABLINUM – reception room and archive

FAUCES – entrance passage

CULINA – kitchen

LAVATRINA – washroom

PERISTYLIUM – colonnaded court

TRICLINIUM AESTIVUM – outdoor dining area

ATRIUM HOUSE (Casa di Trebius Valens)

A roman dwelling type in which the building mass surrounds a main central space, the atrium, open to the sky.

PARTS:

VESTIBULUM – entrance hall

ATRIUM – court

IMPLUVIUM – pool

LARARIUM – altar

COMPLUVIUM – opening

CUBICULUM – bed chamber

TRICLINIUM – dining room

ALA – alcove

OECUS, OIKOS – dining room

TABLINUM – reception room and archive

FAUCES – entrance passage

CULINA – kitchen

LAVATRINA – washroom

BALNEUM, BALINEUM – bathroom

PORTICUS – veranda

EXEDRA, EXHEDRA – reception room

PERISTYLIUM – colonnaded court

PISCINA, FONS – pool

TRICLINIUM AESTIVUM – outdoor dining area

COENATIO, CENATIO – dining room

VITRUVIUS

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio.

Wrote De architecture (On architecture), known today as the “Ten Books on Architecture”

firmitas, utilitas, venustas (durability, usefulness, and beauty).