Page:A history of architecture on the comparative method for the student, craftsman, and amateur.djvu/178

 120 COMPARATIVE ARCHITECTURE. constructed to drain the valleys of Rome, has a semicircular arch of II feet span, in three rings of voussoirs, each 2 feet 6 inches There are no remains of Etruscan temples, but Vitruvius gives a description of them. The Temple of Jupiter Capitolinns was the most important Etruscan example (dedicated b.c. 509), and is generally taken as being typical. Its cella was divided into three chambers containing statues of Jupiter, Minerva (Livy VII., iii) and Juno, and was nearly square on plan, with widely spaced columns and wooden architraves. It was burnt in B.C. 83 and rebuilt by Sulla, who brought some of the marble Corinthian columns from the Temple of Zeus Olympius at Athens (page go). Roman Architecture followed the Etruscan, and as indicated on page 114. was a composite style derived by the union of the Greek and Etruscan styles. The principal examples of Roman architecture were chiefly erected during 400 years, viz., between B.C. 100 and A.D. 300. The principal remains are found not only in Italy, but throughout Europe to wherever the Roman occupa- tion extended, as at Nimes and Aries in France, Tarragona and Segovia in Spain, Treves in Germany, Constantine in North Africa, Timgad in Algeria, and other places in North Africa, Baalbec and Palmyra in Syria, and many places in England (page 280). FORA. The Forum corresponded with the Agora in a Greek city, and was an open space used as a meetmg place and market, or a ren- dezvous for political demonstrators, corresponding to the Place of a French country town, the market place of English country towns, and to the Royal Exchange or probably Trafalgar Square in the Metropolis. The forum was usually surrounded by porticos, colonnades and public buildings, such as temples, basilicas (halls of justice), senate house, and shops, and was adorned with pillars of victory and memorial statues of great men. Rome possessed several Fora, and a plan of these is given (No. 47). The " Forum Romanum " was the oldest, and grouped around it were some of the most important historical buildings. A restoration is given (No. 48), which will indicate its probable appearance in the heyday of ancient Rome. The Forum Romanum was in early times also used as a hippodrome and for contests, which in after years during the Empire took place in the amphitheatres. This and the Forum of Trajan, which was the largest of all, were the most important. The others include those of Julius Caesar, Augustus Vespasian and Nerva. The models in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, and the Crystal Palace, give a good idea of the appearance of this important centre of architectural history.