Town Planning of Ancient Romans
Ancient Roman town /settlement Planning ( 700B.C-500 AD)
• Romans adopted the technology and planning skills of the Greeks. They were more advanced than the Greeks in terms of technological skills which they used to develop better infrastructural facilities and construction techniques.
• Lime concrete was invented • Applied mechanics for moving heavy masses developed.
• Roads were paved with stones
• Advanced system of water supply (Aqueducts &water reservoirs), sewage system and drainage system through ducts and underground sewers in semi-circular vaulted form were used. • All public latrines were connected to underground sewerage system. People normally used the public latrines.
Planning principles
• The town planning was slightly different in various areas depending on the geography, resource potential, which determined the ruling strategy.
• Each city occupied a commanding site, including building works of enormous scale and impressive stylistic quality. Perimeter of the city was usually square/rectangular.
• Chessboard planning -expressing laws and orders. o Crossing of parallel and equidistant streets at right angles to one another within the 2 main crossroads "Decamanus"(East –west) through the center of the town and the ‘Cardo’ (North- south) usually bisecting the ‘Decamanus’ at right angles towards one end. o "Secondary streets" complete the gridiron layout and form the building blocks known as "Insulae" • Cross streets occasionally stepped and bridged around the city. • Generally rectangular walled city entered by several gates, showing complete town organization.
• From the religious significance of the Temples by the Greeks there was a change to the civic influence of Law Courts "Basilica" which became more important than the public buildings.
• "Forum Area" usually located centre of the town formed by the intersection of the Decamanus and the Cardo being the
• Romans adopted the technology and planning skills of the Greeks. They were more advanced than the Greeks in terms of technological skills which they used to develop better infrastructural facilities and construction techniques.
• Lime concrete was invented • Applied mechanics for moving heavy masses developed.
• Roads were paved with stones
• Advanced system of water supply (Aqueducts &water reservoirs), sewage system and drainage system through ducts and underground sewers in semi-circular vaulted form were used. • All public latrines were connected to underground sewerage system. People normally used the public latrines.
Planning principles
• The town planning was slightly different in various areas depending on the geography, resource potential, which determined the ruling strategy.
• Each city occupied a commanding site, including building works of enormous scale and impressive stylistic quality. Perimeter of the city was usually square/rectangular.
• Chessboard planning -expressing laws and orders. o Crossing of parallel and equidistant streets at right angles to one another within the 2 main crossroads "Decamanus"(East –west) through the center of the town and the ‘Cardo’ (North- south) usually bisecting the ‘Decamanus’ at right angles towards one end. o "Secondary streets" complete the gridiron layout and form the building blocks known as "Insulae" • Cross streets occasionally stepped and bridged around the city. • Generally rectangular walled city entered by several gates, showing complete town organization.
• From the religious significance of the Temples by the Greeks there was a change to the civic influence of Law Courts "Basilica" which became more important than the public buildings.
• "Forum Area" usually located centre of the town formed by the intersection of the Decamanus and the Cardo being the