lecture9 Department of Architecture Architecture 150 - Appreciation of Architecture Lecture 9: Imperial Roman architecture 44 BC to 313 AD Reading: Nuttgens, Chapter 8 In 43 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated, and a civil war followed. Octavian, nephew of Julius Caesar, came to power, called himself Augustus and established a dynastic succession which made him an emperor in all but name. After Augustus, the various rulers called themselves emperor, and Rome became a true imperial power. The city of Rome and its forum were embellished and enlarged, as were all the important colonial capitals. The Romans ruled the entire known world for almost 500 years. Roman culture was based on discipline and government, and their architecture embodied the glory of Rome's generals, athletes and emperors, as well as its gods. Roman buildings grew in size and splendor, and as the life of the empire became more luxurious, civic buildings became very grand. Imperial Roman architecture is characterized by the development of grand interior space. This was made possible because of the use of the arch, availability of skilled labor and fine materials, and the Roman taste for impressive civic buildings which reflect the power of Rome.. Monuments, public buildings and the private house were all highly refined architectural types. Civic Architecture for the good of the citizens Forum Romanum, the republican forum, compared to the imperial fora Forum of Trajan 2nd c. AD/Basilica Ulpia Theaters: Theater of Pompey 55 BC Theater of Marcellus 1st c. AD Stadiums and Circuses: Circus Maximus - 3rd c. BC Colosseum 80 AD Baths: Baths of Caracalla 211 AD Basilica of Maxentius (Constantine) 313 AD Monuments to commemorate gods and Romans Temples: Temple of Antoninus & Faustina (2nd c. AD like Temple of Portunus, a typical frontal temple on a raised pedestal. Pantheon of Hadrian 120 AD use of the dome to make huge interior space. Triumphal arch and column: Arch of Titus, Column of Trajan 2nd c. AD Tombs: Mausoleum of Augustus 1st c. AD; Mausoleum of Hadrian (Castel St. Angelo) 2nd c. AD

University of Washington Department of Architecture
Architecture 150 - Appreciation of Architecture
Imperial Roman architecture 44 BC to 313 AD
Reading: Nuttgens, Chapter 8

Terms:
triumph
triumphal arch
engaged column
pilaster
vaulting
barrel vault
groin vault
dome
coffers

In 43 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated, and a civil war followed. Octavian, nephew of Julius Caesar, came to power, called himself Augustus and established a dynastic succession which made him an emperor in all but name. After Augustus, the various rulers called themselves emperor, and Rome became a true imperial power.

The city of Rome and its forum were embellished and enlarged, as were all the important colonial capitals. The Romans ruled the entire known world for well over 500 years. Roman culture was based on discipline and government, and their architecture embodied the glory of Rome's generals, athletes and emperors, as well as its gods. Roman buildings grew in size and splendor, and as the life of the empire became more luxurious, civic buildings became very grand.

Imperial Roman architecture is characterized by the development of grand interior space. This was made possible because of the use of the arch and of concrete, the availability of skilled labor and fine materials, and the Roman taste for impressive civic buildings which reflected Rome's greatness. Monuments, public buildings and the private house were all highly refined architectural types.

Civic Architecture for the good of the citizens
Forum Romanum, the republican forum, compared to the imperial fora.
The imperial fora were built by individual emperors to aggrandize the emperor and establish his propaganda as a military and civic leader.
Forum of Trajan 2nd c. AD/Basilica Ulpia

Triumphal arch and column - the military triumph:
Arch of Titus - commemorating Titus' victory in 70 AD in the Jewish Wars
Arch of Constantine - 3rd c. AD; built to celebrate Constantine, but using pieces from the monuments of earlier emperors.
Column of Trajan 2nd c. AD - part of the Forum of Trajan; the column has a continuous relief depicting the Roman wars with the Dacians (present day Rumania)

Imperial Tombs:
Mausoleum of Augustus 1st c. AD;
Mausoleum of Hadrian (Castel St. Angelo) 2nd c. AD

Use of the vault and dome -- grand interior space

Theaters:
Theater of Pompey 55 BC
Theater of Marcellus 1st c. AD

Stadiums and Circuses:
Circus Maximus - 3rd c. BC
Colosseum 80 AD - use of columns, engaged columns and pilasters as decorative.

Pantheon of Hadrian 120 AD: use of the dome to make huge interior space.

Baths: the groin vault construction of the imperial baths is responsible for the largest interior spaces for 1000 years -- until the rise of Gothic architecture.
Baths of Caracalla 211 AD
Basilica of Maxentius (Constantine) 313 AD