Art 101

Greek and Roman Architecture
Art 101

The Greek and Roman Architecture is very much alike, but at the same time they are different in some ways. Wealth and high population densities in the cities had forced the ancient Romans to discover some new architectural solutions of their own. The Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Greek architecture and created a new type of architectural style.

To begin, the Greek architecture had the intentions to include a large number of their cultural values like the ones that has something to do with the Greek city that is in the temples. The temples were built on top of the site that was raised above a city with concerns of value and the center of civic life. Also the Greek architecture along with the temple was made according to the exact rules of geometry which supports the cultural values of proportion and equality. First the Greek architecture had developed a set of orders that has a separate type of architecture that is better used in the three orders first Doric, second Iconic, and third Corinthian.

Second, the Roman architecture was more definite in the materialistic ways than the Greeks, where they built things on a larger scale, they used a variety of building materials, and they did not pay much attention to the little details. The better form of the Roman architecture is the Coliseums or the Amphitheater which was developed by the Romans. The Coliseum was important as a starting of entertainment for the whole city. The Roman helped support the structure of this Coliseum because it is a combination of the Roman brought in concrete, the exterior which was covered by a stone facing of a form of limestone that was used along with tufa. I found out that the Coliseum was designed with a combination of all three of the architectural orders Doric, second Iconic, and Corinthian. Even though the columns had no structural function but they were seen as a form of decoration.

Romans built Arches to honor some great people. By the end of Roman Empire it was more than forty arches that were built. The first Arches were used to build bridges and aqueducts. They also was made to support the buildings and to decorate the buildings that added to the city also. The Columns was designed and structured for support as well. Rome is known to have about five various styles of Columns named the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Columns like Arches is used to support and decorate. The Tuscan columns are the most basic, their purpose is to be used in gardens. Even though they were used to when the money was tight and low. The Iconic was used for the educational buildings. The Corinthian columns were used to show the artistic designs and buildings. The Composite columns where seen on buildings that they used for celebrations. The Greek versions of the columns was when the base was added.

In conclusion, the Roman style of the Corinthian. Rome isn't the only empire to use columns, but most people think of Rome when someone says Ancient Columns. The Greek and the Roman architecture did include their own individual and certain cultural values into each piece of art work. The Roman and Greek both have some characteristics and innovations in their architectures.