Roman concrete secret. How the Pantheon has stood for 2000 years?
For 2000 years, people wondered how the Pantheon was able to stand intact while many other structures had fallen. As an architect, I have wondered about this too.
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Curiosities of ancient Rome (Architecture)
The world of ancient Romans abounded in a number of amazing curiosities and information. The source of knowledge about the life of the Romans are mainly works left to us by ancient writers or discoveries. The Romans left behind a lot of strange information and facts that are sometimes hard to believe.
Forum Boarium – animal market
In ancient Rome, one of the oldest forums was the Forum Boarium. The Forum Boarium together with Forum Holitorium1 were located at a strategic point on the Tiber at the first crossing of the river.
Castellum Aquae in Pompeii
Castellum Aquae in Pompeii was a water dispenser that supplied water to the entire city. The building was located at the highest point of Pompeii (42 meters) and was connected to the Serino aqueduct.
Inner garden in a Roman house
Inner garden (hortus) in a Roman house (so-called Casa della Nave Europa) in Pompeii. The preserved columns that surrounded the greenery and created the peristyle (internal courtyard) are visible.
The highest! The biggest! The heaviest!
What are we talking about? Of course, probably the largest monolith ever brought and placed in Rome. The obelisk of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III, which was ordered to be placed on the Circus Maximus by Emperor Constantius II.
Rome’s water supply network
In the ancient port of Arles on the Rhône, in 2014, French researchers made an astonishing discovery. They found a Roman water supply network – eight threads of lead pipes laid across the Rhône bed, at a depth of 12 meters. Each section of pipe laid on the bottom is approximately 200 meters long. These sections consist of 3-meter-long sections.
Unique columns in Roman architecture
Almost everyone knows the Ionian, Doric and Corinthian orders. However, there are numerous examples of columns not adhering to any of these Greek styles in the architecture of ancient Rome. Aside from simple modifications and evolutions of the Hellenic originals, one can also find some very distinct forms that can surprise them with their uniqueness.
Impressive fortifications of Dacians
Dacians were a people living in what is now Romania and part of Hungary. To this day, we can admire the remains of buildings and fortresses they built in the Orăștie mountains, which are part of the Carpathians. They prove how well-developed the Dacians were.
Ancient building of Saepta Iulia
The ancient building Saepta Iulia on the Field of Mars was a place where in ancient Rome citizens cast their votes in the so-called tribute commissions (comitiatributa), deciding on the election of lower officials (aediles, quaestors)1 or sometimes the adoption of laws.
Trajan’s Halls – first shopping mall
Trajan’s Halls (Mercatus Traiani) is probably the first shopping mall as we understand it today. They were created on the command of Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century CE (probably in the years 100-110 CE) by his architect Apollodor of Damascus. There were about 150 shops on several levels.
