Jonah Soltes

10/28/15
Compendium of Knowledge 6
The Romans used concrete to create revolutionary new architectural feats. These include
barrel vaults, groin vaults, attached series of groin vaults, and domes with oculus holes.1
Concrete was much more sturdy and cheap than previous materials such as marble, tufa, or
travertine.2 The major downside to concrete was that it was not nearly as appealing to the eyes as
marble because it has a very rough texture. The Romans just covered the rough concrete with
stucco or marble facing in order to make the structure more appealing.3 The strength of concrete
allowed the dome shape of the Pantheon to be able to come to fruition.
The Greek temple known as the Parthenon has some similarities and differences with the
later Pantheon. The architects of the Parthenon, Iktinos and Kallikrates, wanted to create a
temple with perfect proportions in Doric design.4 They strove to make the columns equidistant
from each other and very specific proportions of every aspect of the temple. This is shown by the
very specific ratio of seventeen columns on the long sides of the temple and eight columns on the
short ends of the temple.5 This mathematical precision is what the Greeks considered the perfect
temple design.

Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Fourteenth ed. Vol. 1.
Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2014. 184.
2

Ibid.

Ibid.

Ibid. 134.

Ibid. 135.

The idea behind the Roman Pantheon, whose architect is unknown, was to have a column
surrounded courtyard leading up to the Pantheon itself. The entrance is preceded by eight
columns which is a nod to the traditions of Greek temples.6 Other than this, the Pantheon is
mostly an original design. The main body of the temple is a massive concrete cylinder topped
with a dome with a one-hundred and forty-two foot diameter.7 The architect wanted the temple to
be very simple and wide open. It was meant to give a sense of freedom despite being indoors.
The use of space in these two temples are very different from each other to the point that
their purposes are almost exactly opposites. The space inside of the Parthenon was not meant to
be used very much.8 Religious events were generally held around the temple and most Greek
citizens would never have even set foot inside for their entire lives. The Pantheon was
completely different in its accessibility because it was meant to be entered. Citizens of Rome
going to the temple would walk through a large courtyard up to the temple and inside was a
massive uninterrupted space containing statues of all of the gods.9 From these two uses of
architectural space, the religious beliefs of these two civilizations become apparent. The Greeks
believed that temples were holy places that were not to be entered and religious events were to
be held outside, surrounding the temple. The Romans believed that temples should be entered
and the design of the Pantheon was meant to create a mystical experience for all who entered.

Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Fourteenth ed. Vol. 1.
Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2014. 210.
7

Ibid.

Cartwright, Mark. "Parthenon." Ancient History Encyclopedia. October 28, 2012. Accessed October 28,
2015. http://www.ancient.eu/parthenon/.
9

Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Fourteenth ed. Vol. 1.
Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2014. 210, 211.