Roman Art and Architecture

Key types studied

Types of Roman Architecture

Temples Aqueducts Forum Theatres Amphitheatres Baths Palaces

Types of Roman Art

Frescoes Mosaics Sculpture Pottery

Temples
Different styles all based on Greek fashion

Maison Carree in Nimes, France

Pantheon, Rome

Aqueducts
Engineering feats designed to bring drinking water long distances to Roman cities and towns

Note the use of arches. Why are they needed?

Forum
The central meeting and market place of any Roman town. Often important people commissioned these for the public
A reconstruction of the forum at Pompeii (Bay of Naples, Italy)

Note the colonnades. What are these?

Amphitheatres
The great stadia of Imperial Rome Twickenham, Eden Park and Homebush rolled into one!
The Flavian Amphitheatre (aka Colosseum) -a reconstruction. -What common Roman building feature is used?

Theatres
Adapted from the classic Greek style: used for dramatic presentations
Theatre at Lepcis Magna, North Africa (modern Libya) - a long way from Rome but note the scale!

Baths
The hallmark of Roman civilisation: elaborate hot and cold bathhouses with plunge pool, saunas and gymnasia
Floor plan of Hadrians Baths at Lepcis Magna

Baths
The outdoor swimming pool at Lepcis Magna. Note the statuary and columns. They were visually stunning, not just useful.

Palaces, Imperial houses

Lifestyles of the rich and famous! Many low-level buildings, gardens, water features.
A reconstruction of Hadrians Villa at Tivoli, just outside Rome. Much can be seen today

Roman Art

Frescoes
Another name for wall painting (as in Michaelangelos ceiling on the Sistine Chapel)

A frescoe from Pompeii, buried after the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. Note the theme: an exterior scene designed to make the interior seem more spacious

Mosaics
Art created with tiles (tesserae) of glass, stone. These might appear on walls and oors

Sculpture
Statues created in marble or, if good enough, bronze (using lost wax method)

Pottery, glassware
Romans enjoyed emulating the style of Greek painted vases and pottery Roman glass was also of a very high quality Metal (gold, silver) dinnerware was also highly decorated

Examples
Red slip vase with image of Orpheus

Column orders
Tuscan - plain, unuted drum or tambour Doric - uted, plain capital Ionic - uted, volutes on capital Corinthian - uted, acanthus leaves on capital Composite - uted, acanthus leaves and volutes on capital Three parts to column: base, drum (tambour), capital (top)