Transcript Great Roman Architecture

Great Roman
Architecture
Arches, Roads, Fountains,
Aqueducts, and Baths
Arches
• An arch is a curved
structure capable of
spanning a space while
supporting significant
weight (e.g. doorway in
a stone wall). The
Romans used this type
of arch freely in many
structures such as
aqueducts, palaces,
and amphitheaters.
Roads
• The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of
the Roman empire, by enabling the Romans to move
armies. Standard Roman roads consisted of gravel
or pebbles on a solid foundation of earth or stone.
Where possible, roads were built in the straightest
line possible, only avoiding major obstacles. A
Roman road was a multi-layered architectural
achievement, but the construction process was fairly
simple to define.
Fountains
• The Romans built
hundreds of fountains
in their cities, which
were public and
private. The fountains
were made because the
Romans loved running
water, the cool spray,
and also they were
built in memory of
events and
distinguished people.
Many fountains were
devoted to certain gods,
just like alters.
Aqueducts
• An aqueduct is an
artificial channel that
is constructed to
convey water from one
location to another.
The word is derived
from the Latin aqua,
“water,” and ducere,
“to lead.” The water is
also used for any
bridge that carries
water.
Baths
• Romans developed bathing to a high degree of
sophistication. Roman baths were also built
wherever the Romans made conquests. Public
baths were an important part of Roman life. Early
baths generally had dressing room suites and
bathing chambers with hot-, warm-, and cold-water
baths alongside an exercise area. Later, baths
became progressively grander, incorporation
libraries, lecture halls, and vast vaulted public
spaces elaborately decorated with statues, mosaics,
and paintings.
Baths
• What makes the Roman bath houses such an
architectural and engineering wonder, other than
their great size, is the system that the Romans had
for maintaining them. In the cold and hot areas of
the bath, the water temperature was actually
regulated by the use of underground fire furnaces,
Also, the dirty water in the baths was actually
drained and replaced regularly. The bath house
also had a hookup to the complex Roman water
system and so always had an ample source of water,
for both bathing in and for drinking. The great
sanitary conditions of the bath house were major
factors that helped to make the Roman empire the
cleanest society up until the 19th century.