Essay Sample on Roman Architecture

Introduction

Roman architecture is rich in buildings and monuments that stand in the main towns and cities. A number of these structures are also in use today. It is clear that the Romans are innovative since they have managed to leave such a lasting legacy since these buildings date back to millennials ago and they were out of pure human muscle and animal power. These buildings came about as a result of the knowledge of Ancient Greeks where they used two styles all referred to as classical architecture that the modern architects still use.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Several innovations include the arch and vault which brought a whole new dimension to the buildings that the Greek did not know. The knowledge of the arches is that it can support more weight compared to beams and that they needed not be semi-circles such that they would allow for the building of long bridges (Hopkins, 2016). The innovation of the vaulted roofs was such spectacular making their design unique. Romans also invented the domes which use the similar principle of circle geometry where they can cover large areas even without internal support.

Romans also mastered the design of concrete using geometrical learning. Concrete was vital because it freed the Romans from the use of carved stones or wood which had been prevalent in the past. Using cement made buildings beautiful, and they ensured excellent decoration (Marconi, 2014). They also needed to perfect on the use of a range of concretes for various applications such as getting buildings under the water. Initially, Rome citizens resided in simple structures through the rich enjoyed their villas. The purpose of domestic architecture enabled the construction of tunnels where the servants could move freely without disturbing their masters.

The urge for cities to have public buildings led to Romans deciding that they needed great structures to provide entertainment. Public buildings were necessary in instilling civic pride, a place they could worship in and show their power (Hopkins, 2016). Buildings such as Forum Julium enhanced magnificent public buildings that surpassed other neighboring cities that were known for flamboyant structures. The Colosseum is a massive stadium in Rome and a major iconic sight that had the capability of housing up to 80,000 spectators. Just like the majority of the buildings in Rome, it was built to celebrate victory after the spoils of war.The Roman architecture also included the science of aqueduct. The reason why the Romans were able to live in large cities was that they were aware of how to transport water for drinking, baths, and structuring sewerage systems (Marconi, 2014). They built great aqueducts using the ancient technology. Triumphal arches were also present in Rome because that is the primary way that they celebrated their military triumphs. Romans made large arches over the roads. Romans had a good mastery of the arc which may have been a contributing factor to the simple shapes that revealed the special significance of events to them.The Roman architecture was dependent on Greek culture that they tried to embrace and became their foundation. They adopted and reshaped the Greek models to form Roman forms of art. Roman culture still stands clearly and uniquely because other countries borrow their techniques to make arched constructions and other buildings.

References

Hopkins, J. N. (2016). The genesis of Roman architecture. Yale University Press.

Marconi, C. (Ed.). (2014). The Oxford handbook of Greek and Roman art and architecture. Oxford University Press.