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.