Roman Architecture Style

Among the most distinguishable aspects of their architecture are their columns. They inherited them from the Greeks and each style is generally dictated by the capital at the top of the column. The Romans used them to commemorate people, places, or even events by carving into the columns. They would decorate the columns after being built and put them into place, often taking years to finish. They had three major orders of columns the Doric order, Ionic Order, and the Corinthian Order. The Doric Order is the oldest and most simplistic of their columns. This style of column was usually fluted (grooves carved in vertically) then they would be tipped with, and inverted frustum of a cone or a cylindrical band. The Ionic Order was invented by the …show more content…
The Corinthian Order is the newest and youngest style of column. These columns were highly decorated, slimmer and smaller than the other column orders. This style of column can be seen at the top level of the Colosseum, holding up the least amount of weight. Perhaps their most impressive architectural feat is their water and sewer systems. The Roman Aqueducts were one of the earliest engineering features of the first millennium. They were built and used for just a little over five hundred years till the fall of the Roman Empire. Romans created the aqueducts in order to bring water from distant sources to their cities and supply their towns with clean water. The aqueducts also provided water for mining operations, milling, farms and gardens. The aqueducts moved water through gravity alone. They were constructed along a slight downward gradient within conduits of stone, brick, and concrete. Most aqueducts were beneath the ground. Where there were valleys or low lands they constructed bridge work for the water to pass over the valley or low land. The bridges were made out of masonry, brick, or concrete. When the engineers reached a hill they would sometimes have to install a …show more content…
They created modern concrete that was fast to set up and water proof. There is not a modern city today in the western world that does not use concrete. Their designs for stonework, arches, columns, and domes have been used to create some of the most important buildings throughout history around the world. Our modern way of life would not be the same without the Romans concept for sewer, water, and heated bathhouses. Romans will forever be remembered as the greatest architects of all time as we look around at our modern life and realize we can thank the