Characteristics of Roman architecture

The Roman architecture It is perhaps one of the most important testimonies of what this civilization was, because if there is something for which the Romans are characterized is because they were great builders and architects who differentiated themselves from the rest by the great advances engineers. Next, in this lesson from a TEACHER, we will see what are the characteristics of Roman architecture, among which we could highlight the solidity, since today there are many buildings that have been preserved throughout history.

We begin this summary on the characteristics of Roman architecture speaking of the orders to be used in Roman architecture. You should know that they are the same as those used within Greek architecture, that is, the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, however, the Romans will add others two more of his own creation that are the Tuscan and the composite.

Tuscan is similar to the Greek Doric order with the difference that its frieze will be decorated with garlands and bucraniums (skull of an ox that comes to symbolize abundance and wealth), with a shaft that will be smooth with entasis and a base consisting of a plinth and bull.

Regarding the compound order, is a mixture of the Ionic and Corinthian orders, presenting on its capital the spiral volutes so characteristic of the Ionic order, as well as the superimposed acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order. Among all these orders, the one preferred by the Romans is the order composed of its greatest ornamental wealth.

We continue the characteristics of Roman architecture speaking, now, of the construction systems that were used. The materials used will be stone, brick and concrete. It is worth noting the Roman rigging, which is the arrangement of the materials that are reflected in various ways, called opus and they are:

• Opus quadratum: which are regular stone ashlars that were arranged with rope and brand, that is, some ashlars perpendicular to the wall and others parallel.
• Opus incertum: which are irregular and unworked stone blocks, arranged randomly.
• Opus latericium: which is the brick.
• Opus caementicuim: what is cement (which was a mixture of sand, lime and stone rubble)

With regard to the construction systems, the lintel systems and the organic, in which the decomposition of the force will be done through arches and vaults, the latter being the most used by the Romans.

The bow It will be the most used supporting element and they used it for the closing of both the windows and the doors. The arch itself is made up of voussoirs, being the center piece (key code) the one that maintains the pressure of the others and completes the curve. There are several types of arch that the Romans could use, among them we highlight the semicircular arch, the segmental arch, the lowered bow.

We also have to mention the domes in which the Romans demonstrated to have a very great constructive skill. These were used as a closing system in those buildings with a circular plan, as for example can be seen in the Pantheon of Agrippa.

Roman vaults

The vaults could be of half cannon, (which was the most used to cover the rectangular plants, of edge (which are formed by the union of two barrel vaults and are used to cover mainly buildings with square floors) of ribbed (the least used) When building a vault, the first thing they did was build a wooden formwork according to the shape that you wanted to give to the vault, then the vault itself was built and once finished the falsework.

The vaults were also used as a closing system in this case the roofs of the buildings. These used to lean well on the walls or pilasters of great thickness since, although the columns also had a sustaining function, it was to a lesser extent because, as we have already said previously, its main function was that of mere ornamentation.

As a summary, we are going to discover you a list of characteristics of Roman architecture that are more prominent and defining. They are as follows:

• To speak of Roman architecture proper, mention must be made of the culture prior to this, which was the etruscan culture, since without it we would not be able to understand Roman architecture as it is highly influenced especially in the techniques of the use of the vault, arch and dome and although the techniques of the Etruscan people were quite rudimentary it was the basis for later the Romans to focus on their improvement.
• Roman architecture is going to be an architecture that is going to create closed spaces, in contrast to Greek architecture, which created open spaces.
• The theme of the planning Y ordination of the city, of the symmetry Y regularity.
• The buildings that will abound will be so many religious character like civil use.
• Roman buildings could be or very sober Like the aqueducts Y bridges that they were very austere, or very sumptuous Like the palaces Y temples that used to be decorated with paintings and the floors with mosaics.
• They are all about buildings tools Y practical.
• They are buildings tend to be colossal to somehow exalt the power of Rome.
• It is very characteristic in Roman buildings the fact that architectural orders overlap on the facades.