Unraveling Ancient Rome's Urban Development Through Research

Something as complex as Ancient Rome’s urban form cannot easily be defined in such a short word count. The purpose of this assignment is to find the hidden answer to a conundrum which states that architecture arises from time as the result of an individual’s action. This essay explores the discussion on how the first Imperial Roman Julio-Claudian dynasty, followed by the subsequent dynasties of Flavian and Nerva-Antonine, built the colossal city of Rome with particular attention to its emperors and their urban triumph. It is a fact that the same emperors that were identified as the tyrannical dictators of Rome were also the architectural geniuses that built it. Their lust for higher power, conquest and dreams manifested into marvellous building projects, stadiums and palaces. This notion of grandiose urban development was fundamental in maintaining its economy and military empire.

Rome is a story of evolution. Inspired by the Greek master builders, its architecture is described as innovative and prodigious. A society which strove to make its city manifest its principles and aspirations. Its impeccable ability to adapt and dominate led to its survival for over a thousand years. Imperial Rome is of remembrance because it was defined as the world's most advanced civilisation. According to Roman mythology, Remus was killed at the hands of his twin brother Romulus, to whom the city owes its namesake, in 753 B.C. It began as a small village and eventually grew into an empire that stretched from the North Atlantic to the Persian Gulf. He had a vision to create an open urban space to be used by the people - that was Rome. This was the fundamental base in which the ideas of Rome were expressed. Centuries later in 49 B.C., one of the world’s most extraordinary men, Julius Caesar, blood to the Julio-Claudian family, was elected as the first sole dictator of the Roman Republic and Senate. The Senate was: “the people, chosen from among the people, to speak for the people”. He was characterised as a fearless warrior full of determination. Caesar’s power altered the political landscape, embodied the urban surroundings and established the first days of the city of Rome. This was the start of the Imperial regime. Following his assassination, Caesar’s nephew and heir August (also known as Octavian) became the first ever Roman imperator in 31 B.C.

The period of time following the civil wars constitutes one of the most complex historical phenomena of antiquity and is one of the most difficult to evaluate. During the age of Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus, a new urban culture began. The first crucial event of his rule was the creation of the aqueducts, a concept well ahead of its time. This gravitational system worked by sourcing fresh water from mountains miles away into the heart of the city. The mathematics behind the engineering of each slope was so remarkably accurate that water moved steadily downhill despite the interfering terrain conditions the construction faced. It passed through several purification tanks to allow impurities to sink as sediment. The notion that a man could control nature was revolutionary. Cities no longer needed to be built near the presence of water sources. This idea of man-made rivers sustained the daily lives of the average citizen, the public fountains and the villas of the elite. It is interesting to point out that the majority of residential homes now had access to purified water. Augustus introduced concrete, an advanced technological development that solidified and reinforced the builders’ foundation to dominate the landscapes with towering monoliths. The secret to the invention of cement was its mixture with local volcanic sand. This provided architects with the knowledge to consider the purpose of a structure and construct the form to suit the function, rather than to compress the function in a predefined shape. He then built the forum - a centralised, unified cult. This downtown district embraced the public space for events such as markets, parades and speeches. This was the core of Roman public life, commercial affairs and political debates. He divided the whole space of the city into wards and streets, devised by night-watches. His accomplishments encouraged people to migrate to urban areas which symbolised civilisation with regards to the higher standards of living and job opportunities. Augustus transformed Rome into Europe's, superpower. His public record was an influential success, but in 14 A.D. he was poisoned by his wife’s greed.

Before the suicide of Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar, who was widely recognised as the most immoral tyrant of Rome, he seized hundreds of acres of public land and transformed it into his private palace. A year later, Vespasian, blood to the Flavian dynasty, fought his way through the ranks and was named emperor. He realised that the community’s morale was at a decline, so he put his most skilled architectural minds to work. Urban art took on a consistent and homogeneous aspect. Five years passed and his masterpiece was ultimately complete. The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was defined as a microcosm of Roman society. It was an engineering innovation that mirrored and consumed all the chaos of the city. It was a celebration for the masses. Financed by his victory in Jerusalem, he built the most complex structure of antiquity on what was Nero’s Domus Aurea and made it accessible for all the people of Rome to appreciate. This was a bold statement of propaganda to win back the general public's support. Unfortunately, Vespasian died in 79 A.D. just before his great gift could be realised; therefore his son Titus led the opening ceremony. It was this cathedral of death that provided the crowd with the absolute form of amusement. It hosted circus games, hunts of wild animals, execution of criminals, reenactments of famous battles and naval skirmishes. The best spectacle of all was the finale of gladiatorial combats, a fight to the death, for their honour and freedom. The space consisted of air conditioning and a retractable roof operated by sailors that created shade for over fifty thousand spectators. This urban realm was the epicentre of Roman culture designed to keep the city entertained. The beating heart of Rome was not the marble of the Senate, but the sand of the Colosseum. Vespasian's vision was a sensation of architecture that hid the darkest memories of a ruthless civilisation.

In 98 A.D., the Nerva-Antonine bloodline arose with Marcus Ulpius Trajanus, the first Spaniard and non-Italian to be instated as the emperor of Rome. There were certain attributes believed to make up a Roman, and Trojan did not come up short. Historical reliefs reached their maturity and the fact that their documentation regarding his reign is so rich is not fortuitous. He instantly showed his loyal relationship to the people by appealing to their unyielding sense of supremacy. He first extended the Imperial fora by constructing Trajan’s Forum. This was a monumental urban space with a network of temples, libraries, basilicas, law courts and piazzas. He constructed a market with the world’s first ever shopping centre split into floors that consisted of shops, takeaway food stands, bars and restaurants. A temple was built to glorify Julius Caesar after he was deified and appointed as the divine. In its final form the forum bore most resemblance to the neighbouring Forum of Augustus. He then built the first public baths with mosaic floors surrounding the pools. These events were built to create a tranquil atmosphere and a mercantile culture amongst the walls of the beautiful city. Hundreds of trades and professions increased - resulting in a higher standard of living for both the lower and upper classes. His futuristic urban developments formed the foundations of modern shopping malls and the multiplicity of ways they can be divided. Trajan’s major accomplishment was the renowned Circus Maximus, a collaboration with the intelligent architect Apollodorus of Damascus. It was the busiest building on Earth that spanned over half a kilometre in length and entertained up to two hundred and fifty thousand supporters. It was an arena of great spectacles just like the Colosseum, with wild beasts and gladiators, paid for by the state. The Circus Maximus hosted the infamous chariot racing, the most anticipated event of the time. Trajan saw this as a worthy expense, an opportunity of premium advertising, where he could meet the crowds.

After the death of Trajan in 117 A.D., Publius Aelius Hadrianus succeeded him. Building activity in Rome was at its peak during his reign, and from this period forward regulation of building by the state authority became customary. His first invention was the Temple of Venus and Roma. The temple was divided into two, and each half signified the opposing exterior urban space. The goddess Venus who represented victory faced the Colosseum, and the goddess Roma who symbolised the state faced the forum. Hadrian’s grand vision was expressed in the Pantheon. This structure was dedicated to the seven planetary deities and was, in essence, an architectural simulacrum of the all-containing cosmos. However, till this day its primary function remains enigmatic. Its distinctive facade built out of sixteen of the finest columns quarried in Egypt confirms the level of mastery achieved. The magic of architecture is observed through the derived human proportions of the classical order. When one enters the interior, the only thought in mind is the idea of space. The rotunda was the heart of the Pantheon's design. The cupola is a thirty-foot wide hole in the middle of the ceiling that lights up the interior like the sun lights up the earth. It symbolised the vault of the heavens. This engineering marvel also eliminated distress from the dome’s weakest point. It was the most challenging project ever planned. The rotunda was forced to spread outwards, but Hadrian and Apollodorus of Damascus developed two brilliant solutions to increase the foundational support and reduce the maximum weight. During his rule, innumerable public baths also made an outstanding contribution to the general development of plan and structure. He upgraded the aqueducts, the access of fresh water, the public health services and multiple integrating road systems. His two decades in power are remembered as some of the most successful times. He later died in 138 A.D.

This work made evident the fact that an identical collective cultural ego drove each independent autarch. Each emperor tried to surpass their predecessor through expressions of power, pleasure, and wealth. Despite their extreme cruelty, they had intellectual interest and had provided for the well-being of the city. It was of utmost priority to protect their reputation and command the public crowds. Therefore it is correct to defy the speculation and state that history is not based on an individual’s action but on the disconnection of legacies that displayed no signs of forgiveness. They were asphyxiated on an objective without demonstrating any sense of modern civility, and the same was exemplified through their architectural vision. These monumental buildings symbolised the dreams of the people. This was the wish of Marcus Aurelius, arguably one of the greatest emperors. Even though they dominated the landscapes, they were ultimately powerless to prevent their self-destruction.

To conclude this discussion, the conceptual approach to the creation of particular spaces was an exceedingly interesting topic to research. History, up to a certain degree is empirically driven by complex events and forces rather than concepts or theories. Buildings are designed as a totality, whereas cities develop historically through interventions. I believe that Rome under the rule of Marcus Aurelius was at its greatest. Its architecture was a figure of power and innovation. The Romans achieved levels of civil engineering that was unsurpassed for well over a thousand years. The cities that exist today are all testaments to Rome’s urban expansion. The audacity of their construction still presents challenges to today’s architects. This essay offered an opportunity to develop my confidence in the articulation of my thoughts. I had a structured plan of attack, formulated my arguments, had the desire to study and walked the reader to a conclusion. I acquired knowledge within the subject area of urban history of the city and enjoyed the process of learning skilfully.

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