The Roman Empire

Pompeii

Roman city near Naples, Italy, which was buried during an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79.

Pax Augusta

("Augustan Peace") Descriptive term for the long period of relative peace and stability following Augustus' expansion and consolidation of the Empire.

Pax Romana

("Roman Peace") A time in history when the Roman Empire was at peace and promoted safe trade.

rusticated

The rough, irregular and unfinished effect deliberately given to the exterior facing of a stone edifice. Rusticated stones are often large and used for decorative emphasis around doors or windows or across entire lower floors of a building

atmospheric perspective

also used in the second style. Creating the illusion of depth of space by fading colors and eliminating detail in objects that are further away.

Impluvium

an open room with an open ceiling and recess in the floor for collecting rain water.

barrel vault

extension of a simple arch, creating a semi-cylindrical ceiling over parallel walls. These require buttressing (vertical support of the walls) to protect from collapsing under the downward and outward thrust.

groin vault

formed by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults of equal size. Need less buttressing than a barrel vault.

spolia

pieces of other monuments reused on different monument. (Arch of Constantine).

verism

realistic portraiture- veristic heads were often put on idealized bodies.

Aisles

spaces for walking between row of seats

nave

the central area of a church

hemispherical dome

the largest domed space in the ancient world for more than a millenium was the corbeled, beehive shaped tholos of the Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae. The Romans were able to surpass the Mycenaeans by using concrete to create hemsipherical domes. these rested on concrete cylindrical drums. the use of concrete allowed for windows like the oculus to be installed.

Atrium

the opening in the ceiling above an impluvium.

oculus

the round central opening of a dome

chi (X), row (P), iota (I)

the sign used by Constantine I for his military symbol of Christ.

linear perspective

used in the second Pompeiian style to show depth/illusionism.

concrete

used to make it possible to put windows anywhere in barres vaults, and to make an oculus.

Tuscan order

variation of Doric characterized by smooth-surfaced shaft with base, a plain architrave, and an undecorated frieze.

coffered dome

A dome with recessed decorative panels on the inside surface

basilica

A hall built in Roman Empire for the administration of justice. also a meeting place

forum

A place of assembly for the people in ancient Greece

apse

A recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at the east end of a church.

Rome

Capital of Italy-Roman Empire spanned three continents, from Spain to Syria.

Constantinople (Istanbul today)

City founded as the second capital of the Roman Empire; later became the capital of the Byzantine Empire

Tivoli, Italy

Hadrian's villa location

peristyle garden

Open colonnaded court with a garden and pool found in ancient Roman homes.

Dacia, Dacians

106 AD- very fertile land lots of gold. it was taken over by trajan, spaniard,first emperor born outside of italy, and second of the 5 good emperors. lost of influence in dacia, and even today the dacians are latin-speaking. they are proud of their heritage, and they call themselves romanians. by conquering dacia, roman empire, under trajan, reached its greatest territorial extent. important because now roman citizneship and identiy is being given to many people, who are not born in italy. this creates great understanding within culture, and shows how great the roman culture is, since the Dacians are now Romanians.

Amphitheater

A round arena where games, shows, or fights are held in the center

clerestory

A row of windows in the upper part of a wall.

Composite order

The fifth Classical order; favored in late Roman architecture. On the capital, large conjoined Ionic volutes are combined with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order.

Mount Vesuvius

Volcano that erupted in 79 AD that killed many people and buried the city of Pompeii.

triumphal arch

a large monument in the shape of an arch that celebrates a leader or a military victory

fresco

a painting done on wet plaster