Roman architecture, ancient

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Architecture of the Roman Empire, spanning the period 4th century BC–5th century AD. The Romans' mastery of concrete (used in combination with bricks) freed the orders (column and entablature) from their earlier structural significance and enabled the development of such rounded forms as the arch, vault, and dome.

Types of building
Arches and vaults were first used in utilitarian structures; for example, bridges and aqueducts. Later they were used, together with the dome, in private and public buildings as a means of extending and altering the interior space.

Roman building types include the basilica, an oblong meeting hall with a vaulted roof, often colonnaded; the thermae, or bath houses, with their complex spatial layout; and the triumphal arch, a purely ornamental structure. Dwellings tend to look inwards towards an open atrium (inner court) and peristyle (colonnade surrounding the court).

Examples
Rome has the richest collection of public buildings, notably the Pantheon (built 27 BC–AD 124), with its enormous concrete dome, the Colosseum (built AD 70–80), numerous temples, and public baths such as those of Caracalla (from about AD 215). The ruins of Pompeii at the foot of Mount Vesuvius provide the most complete view of a Roman city, which was typically planned as a series of interlinked public spaces.

The emblem reflects the Vatican's importance as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The colours of the flag are based on the gold and silver of the papal keys. Effective date: 8 June 1929. >>