ROMAN CITIESPLANNING PRINCPLES:- • Romans adopted the technology and planning skills of the Greeks. They were more advanced than the Greeks in terms of technological skills which they used to develop better infrastructural facilities and construction techniques. •It had two main axial roads called Cardus E-W Decumanus N-S •"Secondary streets" complete the gridiron layout and form the building blocks known as "Insulae" •Perimeter of the city was usually square/rectangular with bassions. •Cross streets occasionally stepped and bridged around the city due to topographical condition. • Generally rectangular walled city entered by several gates, showing complete town organization. •From the religious significance of the Temples by the Greeks there was a change to the civic influence of Law Courts "Basilica" which became more important than the public buildings. •The most important part of the city was the forum, where political, economic, administrative, social and religious activity were centred."Forum Area" usually located centre of the town formed by the intersection of the Decamanus and cardo.similar to Greek “Agoras”. •In big cities there were theatres, circuses, stadiums, odeons. TOWN PLANNING IN ANCIENT ROMAN CIVILIZATION PLAN FORM 01 02 03 04 05 Kardo Wall Bastions 01:Market , 02: Forum , 03 : Basilica / Bath, 04: Theatre, 05: Amphitheatre ADVANCE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION: MATERIALS: •Lime-Motar, Concrete •Stone-Ashar masonary •Bricks BUILDING SYSTEM: Lintel: Copied from the Greeks Spaces are closed by straight lines Vaults: Taken from the Etrurian Barrel vaults Use of domes Arches: They used half point or semicircular arches. They could use lintels above these arches. COLONNEDS Strong stone walls with foundations were constructed so that they do not use external supports. TRIUMPH ARCH TRAIAN COLUMN AT ROME BRIDGE STRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT: They were more advanced than the Greeks in terms of technological skills which they used to develop better infrastructural facilities and construction techniques. • Lime and concrete was invented. • Applied mechanics for moving heavy masses developed. • Roads were paved with stones • Advanced system of water supply (Aqueducts &water reservoirs), sewage system and drainage system through ducts and underground sewers in semi-circular vaulted form were used(like cloaca maxima). • All public latrines were connected to underground sewerage system. People normally used the public latrines leads to betterment in public health. •Methods of centralize heating PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT : • Power and control . •Defence and security •civic influence of Law and order •Formation of bye-laws for urban development. ROMAN PAVED ROADS TO MEASURE DISTANCE AQUEDUCTS DEFENCE WALL WITH BASSIONS ARCHITECTONIC TYPOLOGY: Religious building: temple Civil buildings: Public: basilicas, baths Spectacles: theatre, amphitheatre, circus Commemorative: Triumph arch, column Funerary: tombs Engineering works: Bridges Aqueducts Domestic: House, villas, Palace THE PREHISTORIC SITE AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF POMPEII Pompeii arose on a ledge of prehistoric lava flow 40m above sea level on the side of mount Vesuvius. This ledge had a couple of flat areas but was otherwise dislevelled with a strong slope north-south towards the gulf. The lava flow stopped short creating a sharp cliff hence creating a strong dominating position over the sea. THE POSITION WAS IDEAL IN A NUMBER OF WAYS AND PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE CITY’S FORTUNES: •It allowed control of the trading route between Stabiae and Naples as well as a dominating position with respect to the river Sarno, therefore enabling control of the access inland from the sea. • Access to sea allowed long distance trade, particularly with north Africa and towards the Orient. •Lastly the volcanic nature of the surrounding terrain made it extremely fertile and suited to growing agricultural produce, olives (oil) and wine. TOWN PLANNING IN POMPEII NAPLES STABIAE TOWN PLANNING IN POMPEII Pompeian architecture is the subsequent influences of different cultures, starting with the Samnites, followed by the Etruscans, Greek colonies and finally Romans. The earlier Samnite-Etruscan city was the western part of Pompeii with the Forum, main temples and public buildings. A more organic approach to urban development is plainly visible. The rigorous grid structure of Greek cities, is most evident in the Eastern part of the city, near the amphitheatre with boulevard-like parallel streets"decuriones“, (W-E) connected by cross streets ("cardines", N-S) creating rectangular blocks of buildings ("insulae") •Pompeii is an irregular oval area of about 66 hectors, planted on a small natural hill and girt with a stone wall nearly two miles in circumference . •On the west there was originally access to the sea. •Near western end of the town is the Forum, with the principal temples and public buildings round it. •At the east end of the town, nearly 1200 yds. from the western extremity, is the amphitheatre. the town-walls appear to have been drawn so as to include it. •Three major road arteries contributed to subdivision of the city. This subdivision allows us to identify the coordinates of the various houses in ancient Pompeii by using a 3 digit coordinate system: FOUNTAINS STREET JUNCTION WITH FOUNTAIN STREET WITH BARRIER TO CONTROL CART ENTRY RAISED PEDSTERIANS WITH FOUINTAINS AND DIRECT ENTRY TO HOUSES PLAN OF POMPEII AQUEDUCTS BATHS STREETS AMPITHEATER COLOSSEUM FORUM OF POMPEII