Architecture of Ancient Rome: strict magnificence

Ancient Rome strikes not only its military history. For more than a thousand years of history, the Romans gave the descendants an excellent legislative base, laid the foundations of comedy and satire, rhetorical art. But most of all admires today the cultural and engineering heritage that has left behind the architecture of Ancient Rome. In the development of the construction and engineering thought of the Ancient Roman Empire, it is customary to single out three main periods: the republican, imperial and the period of the principality and the dominant.

Ancient Rome: architecture of the republican period (middle VI - middle of the 1st century BC)

If you need one word to characterize this period, then they will be "concrete". It was then that a special composition was invented, including pumice, volcanic ash, lime and wild stone. Concrete was a breakthrough in the ability to build special types of houses - high-rise buildings, which at that time were unique to the Roman Republic. Concurrent with concrete, volcanic tuff, brick and marble were used.

Ancient Roman architecture of that time is characterized by two types of structures - peripter (rectangular) and rotund (a building of round shape). When designing and erecting buildings, four orders are involved - Doric, Ionic, Tuscan and Corinthian. With their help were erected the classical monuments of architecture - the basilica of Caesar, the Temple of Vesta, the new Forum, the Temple of Venus. Then there is a tradition to decorate public places with monumental statues, in which the influence of Hellas is traced.

The architecture of Ancient Rome of the republican period gave rise to the construction and use of monumental roads, strong bridges and, of course, aqueducts (aqueducts). In addition, the invention of concrete allowed to include in the engineering ensemble arches, arches and domes, as well as characteristic for that period of history only for Rome high-rise buildings.

The imperial period - the flowering of classical architectural thought (I century BC - II century AD)

Strictness and monumentality combined with luxury - this is how the architecture of Ancient Rome of that period is characterized. The beginning of it, and in principle the entire Roman Empire, put the great Octavian Augustus. It is under his leadership that from engineering practice the second position is taken away by brick. A new Forum is being created, the pearl of which is the temple of Mars the Avenger, the Temple of Apollo, the Marcellus Theater. A new architectural trend was the painting of frescoes on the walls of buildings and the widespread use of precious stones and gold in interior decoration.

But still the leading positions in this period of the architecture development belong to the Flavian dynasty and the emperor Trajan. In their reign, the Pantheon ("Temple of All Gods") and the Colosseum - the true symbol of modern Italy - are being built. With them is also the custom of erecting triumphal arches - a tradition used up to now.

The Romans, who are very clean, create special buildings - thermae. The architects designed them in such a way that the thermoregulation of the Roman baths was carried out in the floor and walls, while the "warm floor" principle operated.

Ancient Rome: architecture of the Principate and Dominate period (III century - the fall of the empire).

This period is characterized by a sharp transition from paganism to Christianity. Emperor Constantine in 313 announces an official transition to a new religion of one god, which is reflected not only in socio-cultural life. Ancient Roman architecture of that time is characterized by a massive erection of basilicas - the first official Christian churches. They absorb the traditional Roman technology of building religious buildings in conjunction with the eastern elements.

Reflecting the attacks of the barbarians, the Roman emperors were forced to erect particularly strong defensive walls, a vivid example of which was the wall of Aurelius. Unfortunately, they did not save the great empire from the fall, but the technology of their erection was used in the Middle Ages.

The architecture of Ancient Rome still fascinates not only ordinary people, but also inspires specialists. The buildings and structures of the empire are striking in their laconism and the completeness of the lines. Developed more than two thousand years ago, the principles of building basic and auxiliary structures fit perfectly into modern engineering science. And the remaining monuments of architecture bring up to the present the spirit of the true Empire.