Roman cities

Let's have a lookat the typical parts of a

ROMAN CITY

A Roman city was basically composed by :

✔Parallel and equal-distant streets

✔All the streets were equal except for two:➔the North-South one -kardo maximus- ➔the East-West one -decumanus-

✔The city had a ___________ shape

✔It was surrounded by a wall with watchtowers

rectangular

✔ Kardo maximus and decumanus were wider than the rest of the streets

✔These two streets ended at the four gatewaysto the exterior wall.

➢ THE CITY WALLS

✔They protected the city from enemies

✔They had four gateways

Roman wall of Barcino (Barcelona).

✔At the cross of both streets were the city's forum andthe market

MARKET

FORUM

✔The streets of the Roman cities formed a number

of equal components (little squares)

✔These components were necessary to designthe public buildings

➢For example, the market was one component long

➢The forum was two components long

...and so on

➢THE FORUM

✔It was two components long

✔It was an open square in the middle of the city

✔This place was full of statues, altars, arches and columns

✔Forums were surrounded by temples and justice buildings

TEMPLES BASILICAE

BUILDINGS AROUNDTHE FORUM

➢THE TEMPLE

Temple of Venus and Rome

✔It was dedicated to the many gods and godessesof ancient Rome

✔ There were also temples for famous romans

➢THE BASILICA

The Basilica Julia

✔It was primarily a judicial hall

✔It was also a business place.➔Under its outside porticoes, shops were set up.➔Inside, there were money changers and bankers.

➢THE MARKET

✔They sold fruit and vegetables, meat and fish

✔It was one component long

➢THE BATHS

✔It was one component long

✔It was not only a place for washing, but also tomeet friends or do business

Trajan's Bathhouse (Rome)

➢THE AMPHITHEATRE

✔It was two components long and one-and-a-half wide

✔In this place, prisoners and criminals were put to death

✔Some of them were attacked by wild animals, othershad to fight gladiators

The Roman Coliseum

➢THE CIRCUS

✔In this place, chariot races were held

✔The horses raced around the track for seven times

Circus Maximus