Compare And Contrast Athens And Roman Architecture

A civilization’s architecture not only shows the artistic skills of its designers and builders but also the functionality of its engineers, the power of its government, and the inventiveness of its people. Architecture was a crucial element to the success of two major cites in Europe, Rome and Athens. Each city had structures consisting of formal architecture like temples and basilicas showing the influence that its leaders had over each city, while utilitarian buildings like bridges and aqueducts helped build communication between distant cities throughout each empire. Though architecture as a whole was an important role in unifying the cities, the architecture design within each illustrates the similarities and differences between two.

The Forum of Trajan is a Roman example of axial planning because as you entered through its triumphal arch towards a statue of Trajan in the center, the surrounding structures were at opposite angles and lines, creating a clear sense of order and focus. [12] The complexity of this planning demonstrates the outlook and organization that went into any of the architecture in Rome and Athens. [13] While many citizens at the time did not appreciate (or may have not noticed) this visual architectural connection between Rome and Athens, the members of the elite who traveled, did especially the Roman Emperor Augustus. The cities of Rome and Athens became increasingly similar during the Augustan period and created a hybrid style that was influenced by Augustus. Though the exchange in architectural culture between these two cities was common there were subtle difference. Augustus and other Roman builders were not directly copying buildings from the city of Athens; they were just merely influenced by the Athenian culture. Augustus was not only inspired by specific Athenian architectural features, but also by the other visual aspects from the Greek culture, such as art. As Horace, the Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. concisely put it: “captive Greece captured