Roman Architecture

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

From the Pantheon to the Colosseum, from triumphal arches to aqueducts: Roman architecture is among the most lasting and influential legacies of classical antiquity. This course traces the evolution of Roman construction and design from the sixth century BCE to the third century CE. Students learn to identify characteristic forms, materials, and techniques, and thus acquire skills in visual analysis. Class discussion explores issues of function, access, movement, and the organization of space in temples, theaters, baths, tombs, palaces, and other buildings across the Roman Empire. Special emphasis is placed on the inheritance and adaptation of Etruscan and Greek methods, as well as on the relationship of architecture to culture. Course readings include ancient texts in translation (particularly Vitruvius’ De architectura), architectural and archaeological scholarship, and relevant works of modern architectural theory.