ABSTRACT
The prevalence of the use of timber in construction, from prehistory to recent times, is as evident as logical. The structural performance of this material has allowed the continuous surmounting of architectural challenges in successive civilizations. Its most current expression is the growth of complex laminated timber structures in building design, whose spans, shapes and support challenge the understanding of what might seem an antiquated material, but it’s actually timeless. Opus craticium is another example of the masterly Roman engineering and it also shows the adaptation possibilities of this material to the needs of a whole society. When we talk about Roman architecture, building as emblematic as temples, amphitheatres and theatres, circuses, aqueducts, thermae or even luxurious domus come to our mind. When specialists refer to construction techniques we think of stone, masonry or concrete. However, we barely include timber framing, as if it had never existed or it wasn’t interesting enough to be on the list of the significant Roman achievements. This paper provides an overview of the context and the characteristics of opus craticium.
