etruscian and roman architecture lecture 1 (1)

8/17/2019 Etruscian and Roman Architecture Lecture 1 (1)

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Etruscian and Roman

ArchitectureGiving a historical sketch of the origin and

development of Etruscian cities, describe the

character of their building techniques and howthe Etruscians exhibited a high degree ofcivilization through their architectural skill.


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• The Etruscans were a highly civilized

people of northern Italy who thrived

between about 75 !" and #5 !"$ when

they came under the rule of Rome% In the

si&th century !"$ the city of Rome was

ruled by Etruscan 'ings$ and the Romans

owed much of their own civilization tothem%


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http://www.timemaps.com/history/italy-500bc


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Architecture The Architecture of the ancient Etruscansadapted the e&ternal (ree' architecture for theirown purposes% These new buildings were

different from (ree' buildings and$ thereforewere labelled a new architectural style% The twostyles are often considered one body of classicalarchitecture% The Etruscans absorbed (ree'influence$ apparent in many aspects closelyrelated to architecture% The Etruscans had muchinfluence over Roman architecture%


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• Etruscan architecture made lasting

contributions to the architecture of Italy$

which were adopted by the Romans and

through them became standard to western

civilization% Rome itself is a repository

)storehouse* of Etruscan architectural

features$ which perhaps did not originatewith the Etruscans$ but were chanelled by

them into Roman civilization%


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Remains of the city walls of several Etruscan

towns still e&ist% These show that the masonry

was of what has been termed a "yclopean

character$ that is to say$ the separate stoneswere of an enormous size+ in the ma,ority of

e&amples these stones were of a polygonal

shape$ they were fitted together with the great

accuracy of wor'manship$ which$ together withtheir great massiveness$ has enabled much of

this masonry to remain to the present day%


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The only e&isting structural remains of Etruscanbuildings are tombs% These are found in large numbers$and are of roc'-cut and detached )stand independently*erections% .f the roc' cut$ the best 'nown group is at

"astel d/Asso$ where chambers cut into the roc'$resembling an ordinary room with an entrance in the faceof the roc' are found% 0onuments cut completely out andstanding clear all round are also found here%

These forms into which the roc' has been cut$ especially

those of the roof$ are imitations of wooden buildings withheavy s1uare piers being left at intervals supportinglongitudinal beams which hold up the roof%


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The fig% on the right is

an illustration of the

interior of a chamber

in the roc'%.ccasionally there

was a cornice and

pediment over the

entrance%


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• It is clear from the city gates$ sewers$

a1ueducts$ e&t%$ that the Etruscans were

ac1uainted with and e&tensively used the

true radiating arch composed of wedge-

shaped stones )voussoirs*$ and that they

constructed it with great care and scientific

s'ill%


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• The gate at 2erugia$ and the "loac3 or4ewers at Rome$ constructed during thesi&th century !%"%$ are e&amples of the

true arch$ and this ma'es it certain that itwas from the Etruscans that the Romanslearned the arched construction which$when combined with the trabeated or lintelmode of construction which they copiedfrom the (ree's$ formed the chiefcharacteristic of Roman architecture%


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• The "loaca 0a&ima$

which is roofed over

with three concentric

semicircular rings oflarge stones$ still

e&ists in many places

with not a stone

displaced$ as a proofof the s'ill of these

early builders%


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0any Etruscan temple consist of one

circular cell only$ with a porch% This form

was probably the origin of the series of

circular Roman buildings which includes

such forms of temples and famous

mausoleums$ e.g. the culmination of this

style is seen in the 2antheon%


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• e 'now from the traces of buildings which

e&ist$ that the Etruscans must have constructed

theatres and amphitheatres$ which greatly

influenced Roman architecture%• The Etruscans had attained a considerable

amount of s'ill in sculpture% 4ome of the tombs

figures which are represented in relief show a

high degree of e&pertise%


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a. What was the nature of building activity before

!" #.$. % before Greece became a &oman

'rovince.

b. What was the great change in building activityduring the &oman (mperial &ule when &oman

conquest and domination spread throughout

Europe and )frica.


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• 6ntil about 5 !%"% all the buildings of Romewere constructed either of bric' or the local

stone% The concept of architecture as a fine artdid not e&ist$ however$ during this period theRomans carried the art of construction$ andespecially that of employing materials of small

dimensions and readily materials$ in buildings ofgreat size$ to a remar'able pitch of perfection%


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It was not till (reece became a Roman province

under the name of Achaia8both which events

occurred in the year 9: !%"%8that Rome

became desirous of emulating the (ree'aesthetic of beauty and art%

About this time Romans became so enormously

wealthy that vast sums of money were spent$

both publicly and privately$ in the erection ofmonuments$ many of which remain to the

present day$ more or less altered%


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• The first marble temple in Rome was built by the "onsul;% 0etellus 0acedonicus$ who died !%"% 5% Romanarchitecture from this period began to show a wonderfuldiversity and great scientific and structural advances%

• In the earlier styles temples$ tombs$ and palaces werethe only buildings deemed worthy of architecturaltreatment+ but under the Romans$ baths$ theatres$amphitheatres$ basilicas$ a1ueducts$ triumphal arches$e&t$ were carried out ,ust as elaborately as the templesof the gods%


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• It was under the Roman Emperors that the fullmagnificence of Roman architectural display wasreached% The famous boast of Augustus$ boasts that hefound Rome in bric' and left her of marble$ givese&pression to what was the great feature of his reign%

• 4ucceeding emperors lavished vast sums on buildingsand public wor's of all 'inds+ and thus it comes to passthat though$ hostile invasions and long periods ofneglect$ have destroyed the greatness of Imperial Rome$there still remain fragments$ and in one or two instances

whole monuments$ enough to ma'e Rome$ after Athens$the richest store of classic architectural anti1uities in theworld%


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• !ut it was not in Rome only that great buildings wereerected% They are found in the whole 'nown civilisedworld which were under the dominance of Rome%

• 2laces of business$ public worship$ and public

amusement throughout


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With the help of sketches, describe &oman

*emple )rchitecture, by citing specific

examples such as *he +aison $arrie at

imes, the *emple of -upiter lympus at )thens and the *emple of /esta at *ivoli.


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0aison "arr>e at =?mes

• 0aison "arr>e at =?mes % @ere wefind the Roman plan of a singlecell and a deep portico in front$while the sides and rear have thecolumns attached%

• The intercolumniations and the

details of the capitals andentablature are almost pure(ree'%

• The date of this temple isuncertain$ but it is most probablethat it was erected during the reignof @adrian% The same emperor is

said to have completed themagnificent Temple of upiter.lympius at Athens$ which wasB59 ft% long by 7 ft% wide%


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Temple of .lympian Ceus

• The Temple of

Olympian Zeus is a

colossal ruined

temple in the centreof the (ree' capital

Athens that was

dedicated to Ceus$

'ing of the .lympiangods%


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• "onstruction began in the :th century !" during

the rule of the Athenian tyrants$ who envisaged

building the greatest temple in the ancient world$

but it was not completed until the reign of theRoman Emperor @adrian in the #nd century AD

some :B years after the pro,ect had begun%

During the Roman periods it was renowned as

the largest temple in (reece and housed one ofthe largest cult statues in the ancient world%


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• It consisted of a cell flan'ed on each side

by a double row of detached columns+ in

front was one row of columns$ and three

other rows in front of these$ while therewere also three rows in the rearF as the

columns were of the "orinthian order$ and

nearly : ft% in height$ it may be imaginedthat it was a splendid and grand building%


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• "ircular temples were an elegant variety$ whichseems to have been originated by the Romans$and of which two well-'nown e&amples remain8the Temples of Gesta at Rome and at Tivoli% Thecolumns of the temple at Tivoli form a well-'nown and pleasing variety of the "orinthianorder$ and the circular form of the building asshown on the plan gives e&cellent opportunities

for good decorative treatment$ as can been seenon the in the fig% below%


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What were #asilicas0 Give an account of

some important #asilicas of &ome and

state what the importance of #asilicas was

for the future of Early $hristian )rchitecture


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• Among the most remar'able of the publicbuildings of Roman times$ were the !asilicas or@alls of ustice$ which were also used as aplace for commercial )business* e&changes%

• It is also believed that !asilicas e&isted in some(ree' cities$ but no clue to their structuralarrangements e&ists$ and when they originated%

• The idea of the plan of these buildings have astri'ing similarity to some of the roc'-cut halls ortemples of India%


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• They were generally )though not always* covered

halls$ oblong in shape$ divided into three or five

aisles by two or more rows of columns$ the centre

aisle being much wider than those at the sides%

• (alleries were fre1uently erected in the side aisles%

• At one end was a semicircular recess or apse$ the

floor of which was raised considerably above the

level of the rest of the building$ and here thepresiding magistrate sat to hear causes tried%


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• The chief interest attaching to these

!asilicas lies in the fact that they formed

the first places where "hristians assembly$

and that they served as the model uponwhich the first "hristian churches were

built%


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• All these buildings had wooden roofs$ and were

of no great architectural merit$ and they perished

at a remote date% 6nder the Empire$ basilicas of

much greater size and magnificence wereerected+ and remains of that of Tra,an$ otherwise

called the !asilica 6lpia$ have been e&cavated

in the


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a. Give a brief description of the *heaters

and )mphitheatres which came to be built

in (mperial &ome.

b. Give a detailed description of the most

stupendous of )mphitheatres ever built 1

*he $olusseum.


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• It was not till !%"% : that the first permanent

theatre was built by 2ompey% This$ and two

others )!albus and 0arcellus*$ appear to have

been the only permanent theatres that wereerected in Imperial Rome+ and there are no

remains of any but the last of these$ and this is

much altered% 4o that$ if it was not for the

remains of theatres found at 2ompeii$ it wouldbe almost impossible to tell how they were

arranged+


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we can see that the stage was raised andseparated from the spectators by a semicirculararea$ which was assigned for the use of thesenators%

The portion devoted to the spectators8called the"avea8was also semicircular on plan$ andconsisted of tiers of steps rising one above theother$ and divided at intervals by wide passagesand converging staircases connected with theporticoes$ which ran round the whole theatre atevery story%


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• but from these we can see that the stage was raised andseparated from the part appropriated to the spectatorsby a semicircular area$ much li'e that which in (ree'theatres was allotted to the chorusF in the Roman ones

this was assigned for the use of the senators% H57 Theportion devoted to the spectators8called the "avea8was also semicircular on plan$ and consisted of tiers ofsteps rising one above the other$ and divided at intervalsby wide passages and converging staircases

communicating with the porticoes$ which ran round thewhole theatre at every story%


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• Although the Romans were not particularly

addicted to dramatic representations$ they

were passionately fond of shows and

games of all 'indsF therefore$ not only inRome itself$ but in almost every Roman

settlement$ traces of their amphitheatres

are seen%


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• The mother city$ Rome$ possesses the greatest ofampitheatres ever built J The "olosseum$ which wascommenced by Gespasian and finished by his son Titus%

• An amphitheatre is really a double theatre without a

stage$ and with the space in the centre unoccupied byseats%

• This space$ which was sun' several feet below the firstrow of seats$ was called the arena$ and was there for thevarious e&hibitions which too' place in the building%

• The plan was elliptical or oval$ and this shape seems tohave been universal%


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• It was :# ft% long and 5B wide$ and the height wasabout :# ft%

• The seats were planned so that all the audience couldhave a view of what was going on in the arena$ andgreat s'ill was shown both in the arrangement of theapproaches to the different tiers and in the structuralmeans for supporting the seats%

• Double corridors ran completely round the building oneach floor$ giving ready means of e&it%

• Garious estimates have been made of the number ofspectators that could be accommodated$ and theserange from 5$ to $$ but probably $ wasthe ma&imum%


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• Recent e&cavations have brought to lightthe communications which e&istedbetween the arena and the dens where

the wild animals and human slaves andprisoners were confined%

• The e&ternal faKade is composed of fourstories$ separated by entablatures that runcompletely round the building without abrea'%


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• The e&ternal faKade is composed of four stories$separated by entablatures that run completely round thebuilding without a brea'% The three lower stories consistof a series of semicircular arched openings$ eighty in

number$ separated by piers with attached columns infront of them$

• the Doric order being used in the lowest story$ the Ionicin the second$ and the "orinthian in the third+ the piersand columns are elevated on stylobates+

• the entablatures have a comparatively slight pro,ection$and there are no pro,ecting 'eystones in the arches%

•


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• In the lowest range these openings are B ft% 9in% wide$ e&cept the four which are at the ends ofthe two a&es of the ellipse$ and these are 9 ft% :in% wide%

• The diameter of the columns is # ft% L in% Thetopmost story$ which is considerably more loftythan either of the lower ones$ was a nearly solidwall enriched by "orinthian pilasters% In this

story occur two tiers of small s1uare openings inthe alternate spaces between the pilasters%These openings are placed accurately over thecentres of the arches of the lower stories%


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• Immediately above the higher range of s1uare openingsare a series of corbels8three between each pair ofpilasters8which probably received the ends of the polescarrying the huge awning which protected the spectators

from the sun/s rays%• The stone of which the faKade of the "olosseum is builtis a local stone$ called travertine$ the bloc's of which aresecured by iron cramps without cement% =early all theinternal portion of the building is of bric'$ and the floors

of the corridors$M c%$ are paved with flat bric's coveredwith hard stucco%


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• These amphitheatres were occasionally

the scene of imitations of marine conflicts$

when the arena was flooded with water

and mimic vessels of war engaged eachother% Gery complete arrangements were

made$ by means of small a1ueducts$ for

leading the water into the arena and forcarrying it off%


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!aths )Therm3*

(n what way do the &oman #aths give us

a picture of the grandeur and lavishness of

(mperial &ome0


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• =othing can give us a more impressive idea of

the grandeur and lavish display of Imperial

Rome than the remains of the huge Therm3$ or

bathing establishments$ which still e&ist%!etween the years A%D%$ when the first public

baths were built$ and B#9 A%D%$ when those of

"onstantine were built%

• Twelve of these vast establishments wereerected by various emperors$ and gifted to the

people%


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• .f the whole number$ the baths of "aracalla andof Diocletian are the only ones which remain inany state of preservation$ and these wereprobably the most e&tensive and magnificent ofall%

• All these splendid buildings were really nothingmore than ways to secure the favour of thepeople+ for it seems 1uite clear that the publichad practically free entrance to them$ the onlycharge mentioned by writers of the time was a1uadrans$ a very small sum%


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• NThe simplest Roman could purchase with a

small copper coin for the daily en,oyment of

pomp and lu&ury which might e&cite the envy of

the 'ings of Asia%O• % =ot only were there private bath-rooms$

swimming-baths$ hot baths$ vapour-baths$ and$

in fact$ all the necessary things of the most

lu&urous Tur'ish baths of modern times%


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There were also gyms$ halls for various games$

lecture-halls$ libraries$ and theatres in

connection with the baths$ all lavishly

ornamented with the finest paintings andsculpture that could be obtained%

4tone seems to have been but sparingly used

in the construction of these buildings$ which

were almost entirely of bric' faced with stuccoFthis served as the ground for an elaborate series

of fresco paintings%


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2lan of the 2rincipal !uilding$ !aths of"aracalla$ Rome%

• The baths of "aracalla$ erected A%D% #7$comprised a 1uadrangular bloc' of buildings of

about 5 ft% )about the fifth of a mile* eachway%

• The side facing the street consisted of a porticothe whole length of the faKade$ behind which

were numerous ranges of private bath-rooms%The side and rear bloc's contained numeroushalls and porticoes$ the precise ob,ect of which itis now very difficult to ascertain


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• This belt of buildings surrounded an open courtyard orgarden$ in which was placed the principal bathingestablishment$ a building 7B ft% by B ft%$ whichcontained the large piscina$ or swimming-bath$ various

hot baths$ dressing-rooms$ gymnasia$ and other halls forathletic e&ercises%

• In the centre of one of the longer sides was a largesemicircular pro,ection$ roofed with a dome$ which waslined with brassF this rotunda was called the solar cell%


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• The baths of Diocletian$ erected ,ust at thecommencement of the fourth century A%D%$ were hardlyinferior to those of "aracalla$ but modern and ancientbuildings are now intermingled to such an e&tent that thegeneral plan of the buildings cannot now be traced with

accuracy% There are said to have been over B marbleseats in these baths+ the walls were covered withmosaics$ and the columns were of Egyptian granite andgreen =umidian marble% The Ephebeum$ or grand hall$still e&ists as the church of 4anta 0aria degli Angeli$

having been restored by 0ichelangelo% It is nearly B ft%long by P ft% wide$ and is roofed by three magnificentcross vaults$ supported on eight granite columns 95 ft% inheight%


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The 2antheon

Give a detailed description of that 2great

ancient building of &ome3 called the

'antheon.


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• There is one ancient building in Rome

more impressive than any other$ not only

because it is in a better state of

preservation$ but because of the dignitywith which it has been designed$ the

perfection with which it has been

constructed$ and the effectiveness of themode in which its interior is lighted% e

allude to the 2antheon%


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• .pinions differ as to whether this was a

@all attached to the therm3 of Agrippa$ or

whether it was a temple% ithout

attempting to determine this point$ we mayat any rate claim that the interior of this

building illustrates the boldness power

with which the large halls forming part ofthe therm3 were designed+


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• The 2antheon is the finest e&ample of a domed

hall% The building$ which forms the church of

4anta 0aria 0artyres$ has been considerably

altered at various times since its erection$ andnow consists of a rotunda with a rectangular

portico in front of it%

• The rotunda was most probably erected by

Agrippa$ the son-in-law of Augustus$ in !%"% #7$and is an e&ample of the most remar'able and

clever construction at such an early date%


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• The diameter of the interior is 95 ft% : in%$ and

the height to the top of the dome is 97 ft%

• In addition to the entrance$ the walls are bro'en

up by seven large niches$ three of which aresemicircular on plan$ and the others$ alternating

with them$ rectangular%

• The walls are divided into two stories by an

entablature supported by columns and pilasters%


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• Above the attic story rises the huge hemispherical dome$ which ispierced at its summit by a circular opening #7 ft% in diameter$ throughwhich a flood of light pours down and illuminates the whole of theinterior%

• The dome is enriched by boldly recessed panels$ and these wereformerly covered with bronze ornaments$ which have been removed

for the sa'e of the metal% The marble enrichments of the attic havealso disappeared$ and their place has been ta'en by common andtawdry decorations more adapted to the stage of a theatre%

• !ut notwithstanding everything that has been done to detract fromthe imposing effect of the building by the alteration of its details$there is still$ ta'ing it as a whole$ a simple grandeur in the design$ a

magnificence in the material employed$ and a 1uiet harmony in theillumination$ that impart to the interior a character of sublimity whichnothing can impair%


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• The rectangular portico was added at

some subse1uent period$ and consists of

si&teen splendid "orinthian columns eight

in front supporting the pediment$ and theother eight dividing the portico into three

bays%


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!ridges and A1uaducts

Give an account of how the building of

#ridges and )quaducts give evidence to

the building enterprise and architecturalskill of the &omans.


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• Bridges and Aqueducts.

• The earliest Roman bridges were of wood$though often rebuilt$ continued to be of thismaterial until the time of a long time%

• It was impossible who used the arch to realizethe great advantage this form gave in theconstruction of bridges%

• 4everal of these formed of stone spanned theTiber River even before the time of the RomanEmpire%


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• The finest Roman bridges$ however$ were built inthe provinces% Tra,an constructed one over theDanube which was 5 ft% high and : ft% wide$and the arches of which were of no less than

7 ft% span% This splendid structure wasdestroyed by his successor$ @adrian$ who wasprobably ,ealous of it% The bridge over the Tagusat Alcantara$ which was constructed by @adrian$

is another very fine e&ample% There were si&arches here$ of which the two centre ones had aspan of ft%


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• The Roman a1ueducts afford stri'ing evidenceof the building enterprise and architectural s'illof the people% 2liny says of these wor'sF NIf anyone will carefully consider the 1uantity of water

used in the open air$ in private baths$ swimming-baths$ houses$ gardens$ Mc%$ and thin's H7 ofthe arches that have been built$ the hills thathave been tunnelled$ and the valleys that havebeen levelled for the purpose of conducting the

water to its destination$ he must confess thatnothing has e&isted in the world more calculatedto e&cite admiration%O


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• The same sentiment stri'es an observer of to-day whenloo'ing at the ruins of these a1ueducts% At the end of thefirst century A%D% we read of nine a1ueducts in Rome$and in the time of 2rocopius )A%D% 55* there werefourteen in use% .f these$ the A1ua "laudia and the Anio

=ovus were the grandest and most costly% Those wereconstructed about the year 9 A%D%$ and entered the cityupon the same arches$ though at different levels$ the

A1ua "laudia being the lower% The arches carrying thestreams were over nine miles long$ and in some casesP ft% high% They were purely wor's of utility$ and had noarchitectural decorations+ but they were most admirablyadapted for their purpose$ and were so solidlyconstructed$ that portions of them are still in use%

etruscian and roman architecture lecture 1 (1)

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