Roman Architecture Research Paper

Words: 596
Pages: 3

discuss the development of both concrete and the arch. Include the importance of each in the life of Rome and the results of their use.
Introduction:
The real question is how Rome did build its impressive buildings? What are its construction secrets?
Body
Romans borrowed from Greeks the three orders of architecture which were Doric, Ionic and Corinthian and invented a hybrid one which is the composite. The Romans invented concrete, made from a chocolate volcanic earth made called pozzolana and which was found large quantities in the vicinity of Rome, and thanks to the judicious use of bricks and concrete , Romans were able to build massive and permanent structures that we know today. They also invented new technics of construction like the opus incertum (the use of irregularly shaped stones after filling a wall with concrete) (The architecture of public buildings, nd), opus reticulatum and opus testaceum.
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The Romans did not invent the ark but used it and developed it to build large constructions like acqueducs. The Romans built them all over their empire. They are found in France (former Gaul), Spain, North Africa and the Middle East. The advantage of building arches is that they allow to support the structure. Indeed, the acqueducs were impressive constructions which can be spread over several thousand kilometers. The acqueducts were used to transport water from the springs to the cities or urban centers and it is understandable that the distance between the beneficiary city and the source of water was important and that water sources often were found in mountains and hills. And to support the weight of these buildings, the construction of arches was necessary because " they enabled wide spaces to be crossed by the use of the minimum of materials, thus relieving weight which would otherwise put an intolerable burden on the structure. "(The architecture of public buildings,