After the Etruscans, Rome adopted much of their culture, and as a result many aspects of their architecture. But, once the Romans had adopted their style of architecture they rarely changed it. A very important example of this exception is how they adopted their style with Greek elements that they liked. One instance in which this is shown is the Temple of Apollo in Pompeii. It is a rectangular building, with Doric columns surrounding the entire structure, as well as a large and intricate statue of Apollo, both hallmarks of Greek architecture. A case in which the Romans used some Etruscan elements is the Capitoline Temple in Rome. Once the Romans came in contact with the Greeks, they used some of their components, but they always stayed true …show more content…
The Greeks relied on wood or stone for main building materials, and posts, lintel systems, and supporting cross bars for holding the structure. The Romans had no need for maintaining the structure of the building, because they had made a development that would change everything; they started using Concrete. With the start of the use of concrete in the second century BC they were able to increase the scale of buildings, and make sure they lasted longer. The idea may have come from the use of packed mud, or construction with clay to bond brick or stone. Most Concrete was made of lime, and mortar with volcanic ash used as aggregate. Concrete, unlike mortar is made by adding water to a mixture of quicklime and sand. The most common kind of concrete was called “Roman Pozzolana”. It was used for large buildings because it was so easy to use, and far more superior to lime mortar. “Roman Pozzolana” was so widely used because of its drying properties. Once poured, it sets by combining chemically with water. Because of this it can set in very damp conditions, even when immersed. Vitruvius, the Author of De Architectura references where Roman Pozzolana comes from, and some of its properties. “ There is also a kind of powder which from natural causes produces astonishing results. It is found in the neighbourhood of Baiae and in the country belonging to the towns round about Mt. Vesuvius. This substance, …show more content…
He most well known for writing De Architectura or the Ten books on Architecture. It is a compilation of how he thinks architecture should be done. Some of the books include subject on materials, religious, public, and domestic structures, mechanics, clockwork, and panting. This work was originally written in Latin, and dedicated to Octavius, the emperor at the time. Vitruvius wrote these books in the last period of his life, after working for Julius Caesar, and being trusted with the design of siege engines and artillery by Augustus. Once retired, he became Octavia’s patron, and worked on De Architectura. In this writing he points out that an architect should have the knowledge of many kinds of studies, because all the work done for the arts is put to the test later on. Architects must also know practice and theory. They must know practice because in order to have continuous employment manual labor must be done. An architect must also have the ability to demonstrate the principles of proportion. He also pointed out that an architect should be an educated man, in order to leave a more lasting remembrance. They also must know history because, among the parts of an architect’s design, there may be some elements that he must be able to explain where the idea came from. Vitruvius also thought that there were two types of architects, “the practitioner and the theoretician”. Most of what we know about Roman