Roman Architecture

The invention that gave the Romans the ability to build architecture that would last for thousands of years was:

• arches

• concrete

• aqueducts

• bricks

A structure developed by the Romans to carry fresh water from a source to areas that are far away from natural sources of water.

• sewer

• aqueducts

• pipes

• tunnels

A Roman innovation that was incorporated into the building of aqueducts, bridges and buildings.

• arches

• domes

• columns

• sewers

Two advantages of using arches to support structures are:

• they use less concrete than solid walls

• the exposure to the air allows the concrete to contract and expand without cracking

• they can support more weight that solid walls

• they last longer than solid walls

Select ALL the facts that are true concerning The Colosseum.

• it was able to seat over 100,000 people

• they held gladiator battles

• they filled it with water and staged naval battles

• it is the largest amphitheater ever built

Only wealthy Romans were allowed into the Colosseum to watch the gladiator fights.

• True

• False

From the time it was created, the Pantheon in Rome was the largest domed building in the world for over 1,000 years.

• True

• False

Roman builders connected the vast empire with more than 2,500 miles of roads and could march their legions anywhere in the empire in as little as 10 days.

• True

• False

None of the roads, bridges or aqueducts that Rome built over 2,000 years ago, are still in use today.

• True

• False

The two ingredients that made Roman concrete so strong were:

• sand

• volcanic ash

• lime

• fresh water