Ancient Roman buildings
FORUMS- are central, public open spaces in Ancient Roman cities used as a meeting area, market, or rendezvous for political demonstrations
irregularly-shaped plans- Forums in developed towns were?
formal lines. - new towns used systematically-laid-out plans using
TEMPLES- among the most prominent buildings that would usually surround the forum or the immediate area around it.
Temple of Portunas (Fortuna Virilis) - with an Etruscan temple-inpired frontal entrance and high podium serving as the base of the temple.
HOUSES
atrium house- remained the main influence in the development of Roman dwellings.
Depending on the social status of their owners, these houses have 3 types:
DOMUS
VILLA
INSULA
DOMUS- a private house that combined the features of Etruscan dwellings with elements from a Greek house.
KEY
fauces - entrance passage
tabernae - shops
atrium - hall
impluvium - rainwater basin
tablinum - passage room
hortus - garden
triclinium - dining room
alae - side rooms
cubiculum - bedroom
VILLA - is a country house that was more than just a residence but it is also a way for the rich people to show off their wealth, conduct business, entertain high-profile guests (in rooms called oecus) and store produce from farms.
Oecus - entertain high-profile guests (in rooms called
Villa - are usually found in the suburban or countrysides away from the chaotic life of cities.
INSULA - is a multiple-storey tenement or apartment block that rose to 4 or more storeys high and built economically with brick-faced concrete.
INSULA- Often having poor sanitation and considered as fire-hazards, these buildings usually houses those who belonged to the lower bracket of society, including migrants and people from out-of-town seeking greener pastures in the city.
AMPHITHEATER - These are public venues used for mortal combats, considered to be good training for a nation of warriors. The activities are held on the oval-shaped, sand-covered arena (for easy "cleaning" after a bloody competition) at the center of the building, surrounded by tiered seats.
hypogeum - Underneath the arena are chambers for gladiators and animal cages called the?
Velarium - A retractable roof called _________, is installed on the top part of the amphitheater to cover the spectators' area when needed.
Colosseum - Started by Vespasian (70 A.D.) and completed by Domitian (82 A.D.)
* Elliptical plan (188 X 156 meters) with 80 external arcaded openings on each storey
Oval arena - (86 X 54 meters) surrounded by 4.50-meter high wall, behind which was a podium with the imperial throne, vestal virgins, senators and other state Officers
Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) - Materials used: Lava (solid foundations), tufa & brick (supporting walls), pumice stone (vaults to reduce weight), travertine blocks w/o mortar and held by metal clamps (façade) and marble (columns, seats, ornaments)
Proportions of engaged columns:
Doric (9 1/3 diameters high),
lonic & Corinthian (8 ¾ diameters high)
AQUEDUCTS - are imposing structures built with tiers of stones and concrete arches, around 100 feet high. They channeled water from springs and rivers to cities and settlements.
It was important to thermaes, public fountains and domestic supply that had a consumption of approximately 350,000,000 gallons.
The Pont du Gard in France - serves as water supply to Nimes from the springs of Fountaine d’ Eure in Uzes, France. It is a three-level structure made up of limestones weighing 6 tons, piled without the use of mortar or clamps using cranes and block and tackle system.
carried water almost 50 meters above the Gard River on 3 tiers of arches; the two lower tier of 6-meter-wide arches spanning 24 meters in the center over the water; the top tier is narrower and composed of 35 arches, more than 4 meters in span
THERMAES - These were palatial public baths which were probably derived from the Greek gymnasia and portray the manners and customs of Rome’s pleasure-loving people. Built on high platforms with enclosing walls and furnaces and service rooms underneath it.
The Baths of Caracalla - had a main block, containing the bath areas, measures 225 X 115 meters. The great central hall, roofed by semi-circular concrete vaults in 3 compartments, was the controlling feature of the plan; this space is surrounded by subsidiary halls.
entrance vestibules- It was entered through four points
apodyteria - changing room
palaestra - gymnasia
There are three main bathing spaces
caldarium - hot water bath
tepidarium - warm water
frigidarium - cold water
natatio - open air pool was also a place for socializing
hypocausts - Heating was through
BASILICAS - These are buildings for administration of justice. The usual plan of a basilica is rectangular layout twice as long as its width. It has 2 or 4 rows of columns forming a nave and 2 or 4 aisles at the sides
architect Apollodorus of Damascus - who designed the basilicas
Emperor Trajan - The Basilica Ulpia was part of the forum of __________ which is the largest of the imperial forums.
The main entrance was at the long side of the basilica from a large courtyard. The nave and the rest of its vast interiors are illuminated through clerestory windows, provided by the elevation of the timber-roofed nave above the colonnaded aisles. Two semi-circular apses, one on each of the shorter sides: one contained the shrine of liberty (where slaves were set free) and another served as venue for ceremonies of the emperor.
Emperor Constantine - The basilicas design was used later as a prototyp as basis for Christian churches.
Basilica of Constantine (or Maxentius), Rome
It adjoins the Forum Romanum; begun by Emperor Maxentius and partly remodelled by Emperor Constantine; the building design is similar to the central halls of the thermae with its cross vaulting
At 96 meters long, 65 meters wide and 35 meters high, it is the largest among the buildings in the forum
Basilica of Constantine (310-320)
* Central nave, 80m. Long X 25m. Wide, was roofed by three coffered concrete groin vaults rising 35 meters above the floor; semi-circular vaults spanned 23 meters
* Used fired clay bricks for wall construction
* It was considered as a prototype of a Gothic structure, in which the thrust and weight of intersecting vaults are collected and brought down on to piers to receive them.
Its facade has a tetrastyle porch with a quadriga (four-horse chariot) surmounted on the central porch and biga (two-horse chariot) on its side porches
Corinthian order for façade; lonic for clerestory levels
• Made Trajan's forum different from others since basilica is located at its far end instead of a temple