ABSTRACT
Rome’s art and architecture found inspiration in a number of different cultures (Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), which were incorporated into different types and styles of buildings. The remains of Roman arches, columns, roads, aqueducts and statues, found in so many different locations across the globe, tend to imply the continuity of Roman architecture. This perspective, however, overlooks the most dynamic features of Roman building: how it adapted, like culture and religion, to varying locations, climates and people through a vast empire. For example, in Near Eastern cities such as Palmyra and Apamea, we find few (if any) examples of a ‘forum’ (an open square for a market); instead, there are long colonnaded streets with a covered portico. This not only represents local traditions but simple practicality: in a hot environment, an open market place is suboptimal. Equally, in drier climates, such as those of North Africa, large cisterns for collecting rainwater were more common than they were in the houses of Roman Britain (for obvious reasons). Although Romans could build freestanding theatres and amphitheatres, they continued to use natural features such as hills (e.g. the theatre at Orange) or to dig into the ground (e.g. the theatres at Palmyra and Pompeii). Hence, the adaptability and dynamic nature of Roman buildings and art played a crucial role in its acceptance and transmission across the empire.
