Roman+Republic+-+Sean+Taylor+Industrial+and+Artistic+Knowledge

BACK TO RESEARCH TOPICS Industrial Knowledge
 * Greek architecture influenced Roman engineering and art greatly.


 * //Terra Cotta// || * A type of ceramic used for the roofing of early temples and houses.
 * It was also used to cover exposed wood on buildings.
 * Terra Cotta was also used for figurines and statues early on in the Republic
 * The use of terra cotta decline greatly as stone temples became more dominant
 * ([]) ||
 * //Stone

Limestone

Mud Brick// || * Before marble temples and buildings, Romans made buildings from stone. Artistic Knowledge
 * Used as bricks
 * Made perfect base for stucco or marble incrustations
 * Hard limestone was cut into weird shapes (bricks)
 * Volcanic tufa (later replaced for travetine because it was stronger) was usually cut into blocks
 * Cut into blocks because it's softer
 * Mud brick were popular among Romans and was used right up until the early Empire
 * ([]) ||
 * //Cement// || * Romans made a cement with a volcanic ash (pozzuolana) that made it unuasully strong
 * Became very popular
 * The cement could be formed within and over timber frame
 * Romans could do difficult things like vaulting more easily
 * ([]) ||
 * //Order (Poles)// || * Romans loved the Greeks' Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian style orders (poles)
 * Doric was used less commonly compared to Ionic and Corinthian
 * Ionic and Corinthian poles can be seen in most Roman temples and buildings
 * ([]) ||
 * //Basilica// || * Multi-purpose rectangular structure
 * ([]) ||
 * //Arch// || * One of the most recognized Roman inventions of all time
 * Use to make bridges, aqueducts, and sewers
 * ([]) ||
 * //Marble// || * Marble became more widely used towards the end of the Republic
 * ([]) ||
 * ** Roman Sanitation **
 * Romans were very concerned with public health. They were a very clean people; they invented aqueducts, public baths, and the sewage system during the Roman Republic
 * ([]) ||
 * //Aqueducts// || * Water was brought into Rome from 4 main aqueducts:
 * 1) The Aquo Annia Vetus
 * 2) The Aqua Appia
 * 3) The Aqua Marcia
 * 4) The Aqu Tepula
 * Wealthy had pipes pump water to their homes
 * Poorer families had to get their water from fountains ||
 * //Sewers// || * Drains were used to take dirty water to sewers
 * Sewers would take the water and dump it into the Tiber River ||
 * //Public Baths// || * Viewed as a rare occasion, public bathing became rudimentary in everyday Roman life
 * Introduced around 3rd century BC
 * People socialized and gossiped; public baths were a social place for people to catch up on the latest gossip ||
 * Romans admired the Greeks techniques in art.
 * ([])


 * // Sculpture // || //Bronze// || * Very expensive; most bronze statues and figurines were melted because of their value back then
 * Figures mostly wore either toga (popular Roman uni-sexual dress) or military garb
 * Military figures usually in battle or on horse
 * Imitated Greek style of nudes and semi-nudes ||
 * || //Marble// || * Wealthy littered houses with marble statues
 * Romans admired Greek marble sculptures
 * Many imitations of Greek works done by Romans ||
 * || //Portrait// || * Most commonly a bust (head and shoulders)
 * Another example includes honorary figures
 * 1st century BC - Romans tried to imitate Greek statues' energy and movement. Try to make statues as life-like as possible ||
 * || //Relief// || * Early Republic, used mostly for funerary purposes
 * Late Republic, became historical event commemorative
 * Augustus used relief sculptures as propaganda during the early Empire ||
 * // Wall Painting // || First Style || * Also called incrustation style
 * Imitation of stucco paintings on marble wall
 * Very popular during the Republic
 * First style walls were divided into a base, a main zone, and an upper zone ||
 * || Second Style || * Early 1st century BC
 * Also called architectural style
 * First style impression was retained
 * Lowest zone, a frame would bracket the art. Whether it be a countryside, cityscape, or mythological scene ||
 * |||| * As a result of the conquests occuring in the 2nd century, Greek artists came to Rome and sold original paintings. These paintings were never recovered ||
 * //Paving (Floor)// |||| * //Opus signinum// //-// crushed travertine and terra cotta mixed with mortar
 * Limestone
 * Marble slabs (Geometric shapes)
 * Baked bricks ||
 * //Mosaic// |||| * Originally started in Greece
 * Started out as pictures made from black and white pebbles
 * Extremely popular ||
 * //Stuccowork// |||| * Romans applied thick layer of line-and-sand plaster to cement walls
 * They then covered the plaster in a thin coating of smoothed stucco made from limestone or marble dust
 * Practical for painting curved surfaces (vaulting) ||
 * //Decorative Art// |||| * Small gems engraved for rings
 * Cameos - oynx, sardoynx, or agate. Some included relief scenes. Some were made with silver and bronze without relief scenes
 * Common bronze used for household figurines and utensils
 * Most common = Terra Cotta
 * Glass blowing invented within the first century BC
 * Coins were made from gold, silver, and bronze. During the Republic, both sides were engraved with multiple and elaborate figures. ||