Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/362

 330 ROMAN ARCHITECTURE. Part I. decoration, while the exterior of Pola is perfect, but not a trace remains of its arena, or of the seats that surrounded it. This is prob- ably owing to their having been of wood, and consequently having either decayed or been burnt. Like that at Verona, it presents all the features of the last stage of transition ; the order is still seen, or rather is everywhere suggested, but so concealed and kept subordinate that it does not at all interfere with the general effect. But for these faint traces we should possess in this amphitheatre one specimen entirely emancipated from incongruous Grecian forms, but, as before remarked, Rome perished when just on the threshold of the new style. The dimensions of the amphitheatre at Pola are very nearly the same as of that at Nimes, being 436 feet by 346. It has, however, three stories, and thus its height is considerably greater, being 97 ft. Owing to the inequality of the ground on which it is built, the lower story shows the peculiarity of a sub-basement, which is very pleasingly managed, and appears to emancipate it more from conven- tional forms than is the case with its contemporary at Verona. The third story, or attic, is also more pleasing than elsewhere, as it is avowedly designed for the support of the masts of the velarium. The pilasters and all Grepk forms are omitted, and there is only a groove over every column of the middle story to receive the masts. There is also a curious sort of open battlement on the top, evidently designed to facilitate the working of the awning, though in what manner is not quite clear. There is still one other peculiarity about the building, inasmuch as the curvature of its lines is broken by four projections, intended apparently to contain staircases. They appear, however, to have been subsequent additions, the stones of which they are built being of a different color from those of the body of the building. In a building so light and open as this one is in its present state there can be no doubt but that the projections give expression and character to the outline, though such additions would go far to spoil any of the great examples above quoted. At Otricoli there is a small amj>hitheatre, 312 feet by 230, in two stories, from which the order has entirely disappeared ; it is therefore possibly the most modern of its class, but the great flat pilasters that replace the ])illars are ungraceful and somewhat clumsy. Perhaps its peculiarities ought rather to be looked on as provincialisms than as genuine specimens of an advanced style. Still there is a pleasing simplicity about it that on a larger scale would enable it to stand comparison with some of its greater rivals. Besides these, which are the typical examples of the style, there are the "Castrense" at Rome, nearly circular, and possessing all the faults and none of the beauties of the Colosseum ; one at Aries, very much ruined ; and a great number of 2)rovincial ones, not only in