Roman Leisure Venues, Public Works, and Infrastructure
Venues for Leisure: Theater, Circus, and Amphitheater
The theater became a huge boom in the wake of progressive comedy and Greek cultural influences. Roman architects copied and adapted the center stage type used in Greek cities. The Roman theater was built with stands (Cavea) surrounding the theater space. In front of the orchestra was a Cavea scaena platform (stage), which was closed by a wall (scaenec frons). There were three gates through which the actors came and went.
The Amphitheater
The amphitheater was an elliptical enclosure consisting of two theaters joined by an Orchestra. The buildings are typically Roman amphitheaters. The center space is elliptical, resulting in the arena where gladiatorial fights took place. It could also enable the representation of naval battles and was the usual scene of executions of those convicted to death.
Circus
Circus was the site where chariot races were held. This show was preferred by the Romans. It was a long rectangular space. In the center of this space, there was a long wall called spin.
Public Works
The Romans achieved their greatest perfection in public works.
Roads and Bridges
The need to conquer and rule imposed on the Roman state the implementation of a constructive effort. The road is the largest holder of all types of Roman roads. Its width was five or six feet and had sidewalks. It was built with a floor of half a meter deep, composed of four layers of different materials. The upper part was formed of slabs. The distances are shown with small stone columns, each marking a thousand steps, called milliariis.
Rome was the Forum of the milliarium aureum (golden milestone), from which all the major roads originated. Along the roads, there were some important stops called mansions. Key Roman roads were the Appian Way from Rome to the southern Adriatic Sea, the Flaminia, north of the Adriatic, and the Aurelia, which united Rome with Provence. On the Iberian Peninsula, the most important road ran from the Pyrenees to Cadiz.
Bridges
The Romans developed bridge-building techniques. The base of the bridge was a deep arch of well-worked stone blocks. Above it was a flat road with sidewalks. Many Roman bridges are still in use today.
Aqueducts and Sewerage
The Romans took care of water supply for cities and sewerage. In rural areas, water consumption was assured by wells and cisterns that stored rainwater collected in the Impluvium.
Aqueducts
The aqueducts are huge tanks built at the entrance to the city. The aqueducts consisted of a channel with impermeable walls. They were a type of bridge over which the water passed through a narrow channel.
Sewerage
The sewerage network of underground tunnels coincided with the urban streets. The water used in the houses used to go into a nearby river or the sea.
Walls and Fortifications
Most Roman cities needed protection against foreign enemies. Techniques and construction materials of the Roman walls varied according to the area and building era. Its width was usually sufficient for the passage of carriages and war machines and were flanked by a variable number of doors.