The Roman Empire Architecture: The Pantheon

1171 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Development of the Roman empire

ADV History of The Arts

Religion was immensely significant during The Roman Empire, considering that the first Roman architects were priests. The priests would compose beautiful places exclusively for the gods. Many of these gods were those adapted from other cultures, like the greeks(JCPS). This prevented uprisings from conquered territories.The Romans used many of the Greeks ideas but they used their own new materials and ideas to make the Roman Empire one of the most famously known sites for their extraordinary architecture.(Moulton, 56 v.1) The local people would then worship at these places. Majority of the public buildings in rome consisted of temples to worship the gods. Roman architecture influenced construction all over the world, and continues to do so today. Roman Architecture was generally influenced through the roman religion therefore roman buildings were heavily religiously based.

One of the most impressive engineering accomplishments of Rome was the Pantheon. It is a Roman Temple built by the Emperor Hadrian,who ruled from A.D 118 to A.D 138.(Moulton, 94-95 v.3) and was dedicated to all the gods of Pagan Rome(DuTemple, 6).The Pantheon is dated back to the decade A.D 118 to A.D 128.(Moulton, 94-95 v.3) The wide concrete dome was one of the most remarkable features of the Pantheon. (Moulton, 56 v.1) The interior of the dome in the Pantheon is where the oculus is located, this is where light was emitted, not only did the oculus illuminate the interior, but it also made the Pantheon structurally stronger. The Pantheon included columns, vaults, and domes to give it a rare design that amazes people all around the world( DuTemple, 40). President Thomas Jefferson looked to the Pantheon when designing th...

... middle of paper ...

...atican. It was considered sacred because the Christians believed that St.Peter had been crucified. A large church church was dedicated to St.Peter at the Vatican after Constantine converted to Christianity.”The altar of the church was located directly above an early Christian shrine thought to mark the burial place of the saint. Many other buildings grew up around this church, which was linked to the center of Rome by a street lined with columns. This street became a sacred way for Christians.(Moulton, 113-114 v.4) “The Romans are also known for their design of buildings called basilicas-rectangular meeting halls with semicircular apses(usually at one end), interior colonnades, and high clerestory windows.”(JCPS) One of the most influential basilicas at the time was Saint Peters Basilica, which is now the center of Roman Catholic Religion(Moulton, 113-114 v.4).

Show More
Related

  • Chesque Indiana-Foy Vs Gothic Chartres Cathedral

    326 Words  | 1 Pages

    As the timeline of humans progressed since the very first settlements, so did the way humans built structures. Human beings became smarter and the planning behind enormous structures became more intricate and marvelous. Further back in history, places of worship played an enormous part in the everyday lives of everyone in those times. Different civilizations have built great temples of worship that have expressed their love of a deity (or deities). These great buildings embody the very best that those people can offer: their best engineering, their best carpentry, their best architecture, their best decoration. Two great examples are the Romanesque Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy and the Gothic Chartres Cathedral. While these two structures are

    Read More

  • Parthenon And Pantheon: A Comparative Analysis

    481 Words  | 1 Pages

    This week’s unit 2 assignment objective is to discuss the similarities and differences in culture as seen via the Parthenon and Pantheon. Both structures were great buildings of their time. They represented the spirituality of ancient Greeks and Romans. The Parthenon of Athens, Greece was a building. While the Pantheon celebrated the gods of Romans.

    Read More

  • Architecture: The Pyramids Of Greek And Roman Domes

    574 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the years, technology has changed the way live. This has included the way we build magnificent buildings. Old wonders like the Pyramids at Giza have fascinated people for years. There is another building concept that has attracted people’s attention for ages as well, domes.

    Read More

  • The Roman Colosseum

    3004 Words  | 7 Pages

    In Rome the buildings were constructed under Roman Empire. The Roman Colosseum was constructed between 69 to 79 CE by the Vespasian emperor, The Circus Maximum was built in the 2nd century B.C by the high emperor, in 31 B.C the fire destroyed it that led Emperor Augustus to rebuild the Circus in 82 AD, Ludus Magnus was a gladiatorial training school in Rome and it was originally built between 81-96AD by Emperor Domitian. The emperor’s theme was large public stone buildings that would bring the people of Rome together and also the emperor was rich and they had manpower. The emperors also patron towards the workers and also to prove that they are the great leaders. The emperors had money, a lot of workers to build the buildings to the Emperor’s satisfaction. The buildings were used by the public as entertainment where they would go and watch all sorts of races & fights.

    Read More

  • Pantheon and Hagia Sophia

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pantheon and Hagia Sophia Pantheon and Hagia Sophia are two extremely outstanding architectural pieces of their times. They have been built according to the traditions of those particular times. The materials used to built these buildings and the purpose for which they were used are all very important aspects and have been briefly covered in this report. Pantheon The statesman Agrippa built pantheon in 27 B.C. Then it was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, its construction, and its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times. The present structure was probably originally built as a temple for all the pagan gods. We do hear of it as being a law-court and a reception area for Emperor Hadrian meeting his quests too. Some say that the rotunda of the building was once a Roman bath. Due to all this mystery, the Pantheon is often referred to as the Sphinx of Rome. The visitor will probably not appreciate the construction as much as the Flavian amphitheatre, but it is still a great masterpiece of engineering and well worth a visit. Most Roman and Greek temples at the time of the Pantheon's construction were large, colonnaded, rectangular enclosures with sanctuaries situated in their centers. The Pantheon was different. It consisted of a large circular drum topped with a hemispherical dome. It is a masterpiece of both engineering and art a lasting memory of Ancient Rome’s might. Roman architecture is architecture of wall and enclosed tactile space. Individual column with entablature is no longer the basic architectural unity. Spatially, it shows a development from closed, simple space units and regular articulation to more complex spatial relations, more fluid interpenetrati...

    Read More

  • Jefferson Memorial and the Pantheon

    1341 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Jefferson Memorial is a testimonial to the past, present, and future of the United States. Its architecture, like most neo-Classical buildings, gives a sense of permanence. This permanence has a history far older than many would suspect. Centuries ago and thousands of miles away a building was erected that would later become the model for which many other buildings, including the Jefferson Memorial, are based upon. This building is the Roman Pantheon. Though the Jefferson Memorial borrows the basic form and elements from the Pantheon, the Memorial has distinctive differences from its predecessor.

    Read More

  • Religion In Ancient Greek Religion

    1948 Words  | 4 Pages

    Temples, along with other sacred places, were sometimes only open to certain peoples or cults, and people who were not ritually purified or had “religious pollution” were not allowed to enter sacred places (Adkins & Adkins 338). The fact that the religion centers are in the middle of the cities symbolizes how Greek religion was central to Grecian life, it was one of the most important things to them. The temples also represent the architectural and cultural achievements of the Greeks. The magnificent style of these temples has influenced not only Greece but the whole world as Grecian columns have been a staple in architecture since their creation; this is even evident in the United States with buildings such as the United States Capitol, built hundreds of years after the establishment of Ancient Grecian architecture. Along with architecture, Greek art, most notably pottery and sculpture, was also influenced by religion.

    Read More

  • From Rome to Columbia: A Comparison of Jesse Hall and The Pantheon

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    For much of the last millennia many great architects have looked upon the Pantheon as a staple of classical architecture, as well as a model for many modern day buildings. Created by the Romans, the Pantheon would use many elements better than any other works of architecture to that time. No further than Columbia Missouri is this evident in the construction of what used to be known as the First Academic Building on the University of Missouri campus. The Architects Bell and Binder headed the creation of the new building after the First Academic Building burnt down in 1892. Known today as Jesse Hall, this modern day work of architecture pulls many elements from the Pantheon to create a unique work of public space. The most glaring comparison of both comes from the domes that top both buildings. Each building also shares similar characteristics in their front facades. Yet, while there are many similarities to both works, each contain unique differences in their layout and construction.

    Read More

  • The Ancient Roman Architectural Style

    734 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Romans constructed the first ostentatious stadia. These colossal structures were architecturally unique due to the Romans’ inimitable engineering technique. The Romans used a skill different than that of the Greeks; instead of carving large masses of stone, the Romans had successfully implemented pouring concrete for their designs. One of the most world-renowned structures and most visited attractions in Italy is the Colosseum, attracting an astounding four and a half million tourists a year. Standing at a height of approximately 45 meters, with respected dimensions of 189 meters by 156 meters, the name is only fitting for this enormous structure (Claridge 1998). Vespasian; the Roman emperor ruling at the time, had commenced its construction in approximately 69 AD near the lake of Nero’s Domus Aurea which took approximately ten years to complete (Claridge 1998). This was a remarkably rapid construction, considering the limited technology that the Romans had access to. The name of the architect remains unknown; however, by vigilant analysis of other structural projects f...

    Read More

  • The Role of Religion in Roman Society

    3524 Words  | 8 Pages

    Throughout the history of Rome, from the monarchy to the late empire, religion had played a great role in it's society and was involved in almost every aspect of the life of the Roman citizen. It was common for each house to have it's own patron god/gods and ,on special occasions, the head of the house would make a sacrifice to the personal gods of the family. Also, great festivals were usually held in honor of certain gods and would include spectacles like chariot races and Gladiatorial fights.

    Read More

  • Understanding Architectural Form: St Peter’s Basilica and Neumann’s Pilgrimage Church

    1172 Words  | 3 Pages

    St Peter’s basilica which is built based on rational form of architecture is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City, designed by Donato Bramante. Its significant history is that according to the Catholic tradition this was the place that Saint Peter was buried. Not so far away...

    Read More

  • Roman Engineering

    618 Words  | 2 Pages

    The engineering discoveries of ancient Rome have played a key role in the history of architecture and engineering. Many of Rome’s roadways, bridges, and aqueducts have been in use from the first century until the twentieth century. Many American buildings have used the Roman dome. Several major structures from early Rome still stand, including the Collosseum. These remnants of feats of Roman engineering stand as a monument to the ability of ancient Roman builders.

    Read More

  • The Architectural Evolution of the Greek Temple

    1447 Words  | 3 Pages

    The end of the Geometric period resulted in the beginning of the Orientalizing Period, dated between 700-600 BC. Within this time frame, Greek introduced a new innovation, the Peripteral Temple. For many years prior, a row of colonnade was used on the interior primarily to hold up the roof of the building. In contrast, columns are seen being used on the outside, creating a visual wall around the building exposing parts of the interior. With in the temple existed the megaron style, carried forward from Bronze Age homes. It was also in eastern influenced period, the first real stone temples, and terra cotta roof tiles came to exist to hold the weight on these new stone temples. The population grew drastically, introducing new techniques and styles, which blended to form designs with balance and symmetry. It was during this period, two major Greek designs were developed, the Ionic and Doric order. (Pedley, 2012: pg. 180) The Doric order, being the first and most simple, consisted of baseless columns placed closely together as the Greeks did not know how much weight the shortened columns could hold. Reason behind this was the lack of length in the columns were believed to hold less weight and therefore forced into being placed closer together. This closely set arrangement created a very bold statement in the Doric temple. The Capital, which sat on top of the concaved shaped shaft, was left plain but when grouped alongside others, suggested a bold harmony. In contrast, the Ionic order was less bulky and more delicate than the Doric order. The top of the capital is decorated with two scrolls, also known as volutes, which could have resembled a shell or animal horns. Above the capital, held room for a surrounding frieze depictin...

    Read More

  • Rome And Greece Comparison Essay

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Despite the existence of many ancient cultures around the world, the Romans and Greek culture has influenced American and European society with, religion, politics, arts and even the architecture of their Coliseum and the Parthenon. The Roman and Greek believed in worshiping gods and goddesses for guidance and protection, they also built a structured government that help develop independence of one another and the realism of art and sculpture, notwithstanding their famous architectural coliseum that they build for their gods.

    Read More

  • The Roman Colosseum

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Roman Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is perhaps the most famous ancient landmark in the world. The Colosseum was the host to thousands of gladiatorial shows, mock naval battles, executions, and animal hunts. Today, the Colosseum still stands in the center of Rome, Italy, however, not quite as it used to be. Still, today, the Roman Colosseum is a large tourist attraction, thousands of tourists from all over the world still come to view this marveled arena. The Roman Colosseum has a rich history, and remains a prized possession of the Roman citizens.

    Read More

More about The Roman Empire Architecture: The Pantheon

Open Document