Roman Construction

Running Head : ROMAN CONSTRUCTION

Roman Construction

Author

Insitution

Professor

Subject

Roman Construction

The most magnificent structures and works of art can probably be found in Rome

Compared to other civilizations , the Roman constructions crossed the boundaries of engineering in creating buildings , bridges and other structures out of mortars , bricks and woods . From public infrastructures to private houses , Romans were able to create a whole new ground for strong structures and as a result most of the structures that were built centuries ago can still be found

to date . Although Roman contsructions were often linked to those of the Greeks , the indebtedness of Romans to contribute more in generating materials as well as techniques created a whole new different perspective in for them to perfect and affect space-making and their architectural thinking for the purpose of longevity . It was said that most of solutions created by the Romans for constructions and discoveries of new techniques were greatly affected by the elements in the society such as wealth and high population densities . The innovative success of the Romans in the field of construction imposed the structures for the use of the public . The development in this field engined the growth of certain political propagandas which campaigned for the creation of building in pursuit of gaining fame from it and utilize such creations for public functions (Crystal , 2008

An example of one of the greatest structure created by the Romans in the Pantheon , a temple built for honoring gods . The Pantheon stands in the center of the city of Rome . Originally , it was Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa built the structure in the 27th B .C . From an ordinary rectangular shaped classical temple supported by colonnade on all sides , it was then rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian between AD 118 and 128 creating a central space called rotunda . Further reconstructions were done by succeding Roman emperors . The rotunda was then rebuilt by Emperors Septimius Lucius , Septimius Severus and Caracalla making it circular shaped during the third century which then formed the main parts of the Pantheon Agrippa 's original portico remained untouched and across the porch of the portico stands sixteen Corinthian columns . The dome of the Pantheon was the largest ever built . The brick archs inside the dome which stand to provide external support are not visible , but rather only seen in the lowest part of the dome ( The Pantheon

The method used to construct the Pantheon remained undetermined but according to records materials such as bricks , a stone formed from volcanic dust called tufa ' as well as basalt and pumice were used to build the structure with high quality . Pantheon is also known for its lavish interior and excellent lighting . The only souce of lighting from the builcing comes from the sun which passes from the top centre of the dome . This particular design in the Pantheon is considered as very revolutionary because it gave more emphasis on the interior design rather than the exterior part of the building . The grandiosity of Pantheon...