The Romans built upon the design ideas of the Greeks. They made widespread use of Corinthian columns, and they also added new ideas to building: the arch, the vault and the dome.

Arches

As the Romans learned how to curve stone bricks by cutting them, they began to create arches that were used as windows, doorways and as the foundations for bridges. The Colosseum is an excellent example of the use of arches:

Today you can see the use of arches in Trinity Church in Boston.

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Vaults

A vault is a roof or ceiling that is curved into an arch shape. If it is long and deep it is called a barrel vault. The Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine in Rome shows good examples of vaults:

Today vaults can be seen at the National Shrine in Washington, D.C.

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Domes

As the Romans learned to work with cement, they were able to construct roofs that formed a complete semi-circle known as a dome. They would build the dome on the ground and then lift it to the top of the building. The Pantheon in Rome offers an early example of a dome:

Today you can see an excellent example of a dome at the Jefferson Memorial.

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Additonal Research: