Imperial Rome, assimilated in Western Civilization
Often times we think of Rome as part of the old world. Rome currently pictured by the young students being symbolized by gladiators and conqueror of many countries ranging from Rome to the Mediterranean. Movies like Gladiators, Pompeii and other religious films stirred the minds of its audience showing how powerful, grand and pompous was the Imperial Rome also known as the “Essential City”.
Has it occurred to you that the “Imperial Rome” is evident in your society? Did you care to think how modern subdivisions and cities came about its structure and city planning? Can you say that our modern architecture is a product of the 15th century? Shall we say that the beautiful high storey residential houses, amphitheater, big buildings manifesting the seat of government is the ingenuity of our times?
The Romans captured Greece and embraced their culture on how they set up towns. Imperial Rome found the importance of colonial settlements to dominate the ever increasing territories under their rule. Although military rule was imposed, they further influenced their new captured lands through their ‘civilization’, which was the town. The Greeks provided the framework for building new towns imposing order . Rome made the towns more inviting by executing a rational subdivision in the cities and towns. The rectangular area was divided by two intersecting axes at right angles. These axes were the main streets and cardo, the primary one represented the axis of the world while the secondary, called decumanus, represented the path of the sun. This was a replica of the Greek colonial towns. Another significant structure was the forum which was located near the intersecting primary streets. The forum later became a salient feature in city as it was used for military function, the center of trade and political discussions.
The Roman town became an attraction to many settlers. It showed Rome’s advance lifestyle as compared to their captured territories. In order for a place to be considered a town, it must have full range of public buildings, aqueducts with water flowing to public baths and entertainment facilities such as the stadium, theatre, fora and fountains. These elements defined the new structure call a “city’. These social benefits attracted more settlers migrating to the place. These towns and cities were means to colonize and govern over many peoples across Europe, Asia Minor and all territories under Rome.
All conquered lands were surveyed by the groma and subdivided the land into lots and distributed among the soldiers in the company of 100 in a Roman legion called centuria. War veterans were also recipients of the subdivided land. This was the start of urban development. They introduced landscaping and construction of roads and bridges. They developed the land by reclaiming swamps and draining marshes which was never done before.
Imperial rule has now changed. The political system was an oligarchy. The elite constituted the highest public bodies. Their basis was land and landownership which showed their wealth and power.
Aside from Rome, there was another city called Pompeii. This showcase the architectural design for bridges and its arch. Samples of surviving standard Roman building types such as the basilica and amphitheater were recovered here. Pompeii presented the architectural design of city planning as evidenced by the residential neighborhood, the Forum, market gardens at the back with vineyards, shops and atrium. The Greek Doric temple, the original theatres and two-storey colonnades were part of the city attraction. Pompeii showed the Greco-Roman culture. These had tremendous influence on Western civilization.
Rome slowly weakened by 330 AD. The capital was transferred to Constantinople. Frequent attacks from the savage tribes destroyed many buildings. Its marbles were stripped. The gilded bronze ornaments were taken and pulled apart bringing the houses to ruins. The city was treated by the surrounding peasants like quarries, leaving them in shambles. The population decreased steadily since the attacked of the Saracens in 846AD.
Toward the end of its powerful regime, Rome has developed its own house-heating system, the improved screw press; refinement of the techniques in glass and the wide diffusion of blown colorless glass. They have developed the production of bricks. With this, they constructed the famous Colloseum which became the center of entertainment. Gladiators provided entertainment. The Colloseum gave way to a school of gladiators. The building was built for the purpose of entertainment.
All of the above contribution of Rome to modern civilization is evident in our society. The grid plotting of lands in subdivision, the amphitheaters, the aqueduct, the landscape architecture, the fountains, the flashy ornaments and dresses of the elite are all seen and manifested in our modern world. The enormous public baths was a community center which gave way for unity among the people and developed camaraderie. The beautiful city of Pompeii can no longer show us its grand buildings after it has been destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. But let us not forget that the blueprints of their architectural and engineering heritage are still seen in the beautiful Pantheon and Colloseum.
II. Vestiges of the Roman City
The vestiges of the Roman city are best seen through their Temples, basilica the arches. These ruined temples still exist; some of which had been reconstructed while the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina was converted to a Catholic church. The Basilica of Maxetius and Constantine stood as the largest building in the forum. It was an innovative design from the previous constructed temples since the arches were used to support the building instead of the colonnade. The arches did not have steel. The Arch of Titus has inspired the construction of of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France which was then completed in 1836.
The ruins of the beautiful temples, basilica and arches are evident to this day. They have been preserved by Rome. It represented the grandeur and supremacy of its engineering and architectural designs. It gave pride to the Romans. Its once colossal and majestic rule can only now be mirrored through its vestiges which had started the architectural designs of the Western World in the 15th century. Listed below are the different structures and buildings seen and admired in other countries which bore the Roman architecture and art. See below.
- Façade of the Basilica di Sant’ Anrea di Montona (1790 ) by Leon Battista Alberti, Mantua, Italy
- The Arc de Triomphe (1806) Paris, France
- The National Memorial Arch (1910) at Valley Forge National Historical Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Soldier’s and Sailors’s arch at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, NY, USA
- The Arch at Washington Square Park, New York
- The India Gate, New Delhi, India (1931)
- The Fusilier’s Arch, Dublin (1907 )
- The Michigan State University Stadium, Arlington, Virginia, USA (amphitheater)
- Boston Pops, Massachusetts, USA ( theater )
- The Union Station, Interior 1908 Washington, D.C. (arch )
- Public Library Interior 1897, NY ( influence by the Colloseum)
- General Grant National Memorial, NY, 1897 ( monuments )
- Plymouth Rock, canopy over rock, Plymouth, MA, USA (monument)
- Cabin John Bridge, Washington Aqueduct, Washington, D.C. 1852 (aqueduct )
- Aston Aqueduct, New York, 1842
Same purpose of Architecture among continents:
- Arches – developing strong support to bridges
- Monuments – honoring
- Bath houses – House spas
- Buildings – National offices, houses
- Aqueducts – bringing water to needed areas
Although these vestiges remain in ruins, their form of art have been catalyst to the different engineers, architects and government. They pave the way for modern architecture and design remaining through test of times. Its masterminds have long been gone yet their art left a beautiful blueprint, challenging the younger minds to prove its excellence to surpass the relics of the Ancient Rome. How have these much revered vestiges survived? It did. It lives. It has catapults the scientist of our modern world to build better. It survived because it lives in us. Unconsciously we see these art in our city. For the benefit of mankind, UNESCO has declared these sites to be preserved.
But the Romans were not exempt from the day to day problems of urbanization. During the time of August, a settlement of 10,000 people was considered a large city but with the migration of citizens from the captured territories, its population quadrupled. The cities became crowded, control was more difficult. The government of August found a way to exercise order and discipline. He organized the first Roman ‘Police force’ and set up the fire department. He established tenements, public spaces, back streets and turned Ancient Rome from a city of bricks to a city of metal. He laid the city plan for order and peace.
In societies, the influence of the Imperial Rome is so evident in our day to day lives. The rich controlling the poor same as in Imperial Rome, the wealthy controlling business just like the oligarchs of Ancient Rome while rich countries lording over developing countries. They dictate and monopolize trade. In Rome, they build monuments honoring the emperor. In our modern times we print the faces of our respected leaders in our paper bills. And again copying from the Romans, we mint faces of our leaders in our coins. We centralized government offices and important building as means of control and power. Almost every angle of western civilization emanated from the Essential city called Rome. Shall we not say then that every inch in our culture started way back to the Imperial and essential city of Rome.?
The great Edgar Allan Poe, in his poem entitled To Helen stated, “The glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome”.
The golden days of Greece lives on through our philosophy and letters but the grandeur of Rome lingers in our society. It is assimilated in our western culture. It lives; it breathes in us.
References:
The Seven Wonders Of Ancient Rome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8wjVAUXvDQ ( Accessed 10/09/2014)
The Story of Roman Empire (Full BBC documentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h61BZ-O9Wuo
(Accessed 10/09/2014 )
Westley, A., Greek Architecture Influences America’s Architecture, CEP 817, https://scholar.vt.edu/access/content/user/tmcasey/Portfolio%20Resources/Greek%20and%20Roman%20Architectural%20Influences%20in%20America.pdf ( Accessed 10/09/2014)pp 20-34
Kostof,S, ‘Rome:caput mundi’, in A history of architecture:settings and rituals,Oxford University Press, 1985, pp 194-200
Hall, P, Cities in civilization, Pantheon Books, New Yor, 1998, pp.655-6.
Artus, P., Art and Architecture of the Roman Empire, Bellona Books, 2006 pp 45-48
Thompson, N., Roman Art, a Resource for Educators, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2007
Wheeler, M., Roman Art and Architecture (World of Art). Thames & Hudson, 1985
Sennett,R, Flesh and stone: the body and the city in western civilization, WW Norton & Co, New York, 1994, pp 106-11, 383
UNESCO Information Service Section, Living with the Vestiges of Ancient Rome: Archeoligical Ensemble of Tarragon , http://www.unesco.org/archives/multimedia/index.php? s=films_details&pg=33&id=1388#.VDdcD2eSzTo
A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome, London: Oxford University Press, 1929
