Rome: An Empire of Cities
Rome: An Empire of Cities
Largest Population Centres of the Empire
• Rome
• Carthage
• Antioch – capital of empire in the east (Syria)
• Alexandria
*Each numbered between 200,000 – 300,000
Average City Population = 10,000
Public Buildings
• Erecting and maintaining public buildings was responsibility of local authorities and rich private citizens
• Euergetism = benefaction, doing good
o Social contract
▪ Upper classes provided public amenities and entertainment in return for prestige and status
The Roman Forum
• The Heart of a Roman city
• All roads lead to it
• Religious Centre
o Temple of Jupiter = symbol of loyalty to state
o Buildings dedicated to the “Capitaline Triad” (Jupiter, Juno, Minerva / Zeus, Hera, Athena)
• Economic Centre
• Political (curia) Centre
• Judicial (basilica) Centre
• Large open piazza hosted a 9-day market
o 2-storey portico around the sides
o Where gladiatorial spectacles would take place
City Attractions
• Taverns
• Snack-shops
• Public toilets
• Places of entertainment and relaxation
Housing and Zoning
• People lived in apartments or townhouses, depending on wealth
• Modern zoning not practiced
o Apartments (up to 5 floors), houses, shops, bars, public facilities evenly distributed throughout towns
Aqueducts
• Importance of cities demonstrated by aqueducts throughout the countryside
o Took water from local springs (miles from town) into urban centre (gravity)
▪ Rome: 11 aqueducts that ran for 300 miles total bringing 180 gallons of water per head per day!
Roman Architecture
• Built best roads, bridges, arches/domes, water systems, bath houses, sewer systems, stadia, buildings, temples, ornaments (statues to celebrate Roman heroes)
• Concrete invented in 2nd century BCE
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