Greek and Romand Architecture

The Ancient Greeks used the post-and-lintel system. Two posts, or columns, held up the lintel, a horizontal block. Lintels are heavy, and so much of the inside of a building had to be devoted to the posts that supported the heavy loads of the lintels. You couldn’t have big wide, open halls, only connected, uniform corridors of space.

The Ancient Romans improved on concrete and developed arches and vaulting. These innovations meant that fewer columns were needed as structural support, and the Romans could make the inside of their buildings as impressive as the outside. They could build structures with wide, open spaces and domed roofs.

The Romans invented a new form of concrete in the second century BCE, using volcanic sand, which was more durable than the mortar that had come before. Mortar takes the shape of the mold or frame you pour it into. The Romans were able to create new building shapes, like domes and arches. The Romans moved from the corbeled arch to a true Roman Arch. The uniformity of the Roman arch gave it tremendous support. A true arch can support a greater weight than a post and lintel system; and so now building could have impressive interiors.

Greek and Roman Architecture, Homeschooling Blog, Grade 7

Greek and Romand Architecture