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Pantheon

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the word "pantheon" is derived from the Ancient Greek "pantheos" meaning "all gods"

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118-128: built by Hadrian

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actually it was rebuilt by Hadrian, originally another Pantheon had been built by Marcus Agrippa during Augustus' reign

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the Pantheon one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of all time

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most architects would list the Pantheon in the top ten of the greatest buildings ever built

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not only because of the architecture itself, but the impact it has had on Roman architecture but also on architecture in post-antique times

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we don't know the name of the architect of the Pantheon

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some think it might have been Hadrian himself, but he was probably too amateur of an architect to be the lead architect

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Pantheon is at the same time:

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complex and simple

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traditional and innovative

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concrete constructive as well as the original vocabulary of Greek architecture

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columns

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highly influenced by Trajan

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just as the markets of Trajan combined a traditional forum and an innovative marketplace

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ancient environment

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rectangular forecourt with covered collonades on either side

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possibly an arch

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possibly an altar to all the gods in front of the temple

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all you would have seen was the porch

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an attic behind the porch which screened the cylindrical drum and dome from the viewer

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porch is very traditional

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looks like other Roman and Greek temples

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high podium

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but when you walked through the columns and the doors toward the interior, there was a surprise

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this is the essence of Hadrianic architecture

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back side

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shielded a cylindrical drum supported by a hemispherical dome

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three cornices

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brick arches to help keep the concrete from settling

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once the concrete dries, the brick arches are no longer needed, but are left there and have an aesthetic value

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interior

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the dome is the perfect half of a complete sphere

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predecessors are clearly the frigidaria at Pompeii

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radiating apses as other structures, but done on a much grander scale, based on:

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small scale frigidaria

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Temple of Mercury

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Domus Aurea of 8Nero

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dome drum in the Domus Transitoria

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dome was possible because of the increasingly sophisticated use of concrete

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decreased the thickness of the walls from bottom to top

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at based of dome: heavy thick basalt, but at top, mixed in a porous pumous which was much lighter

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exchange between Hadrian and Trajan's architect Apollodorus

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we think Hadrian designed the Temple of Venus and Roma himself

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Hadrian went to Apollodorus to ask him advice on designs

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this is how we know that Hadrian was an amateur architect

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Dio Cassius, Roman senator wrote a history of Rome, and mentioned an exchange between Apollodorous and Hadrian

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Apollodorous said to Hadrian, "Go away and draw your pumpkins, you know nothing about these problems."

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when Hadrian became emperor, he remembered this, sent the plan of the Temple of Venus and Roma to show that a great building could be conceived without Apollodorous' help, and asked him if it was well designed, Apollodorous said that it should have had a high podium, and that that the figures were too large since if they wanted to stand up and leave temple, they would be unable to do so.

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Hadrian then had Apollodorous slain

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this passage also tells us that Hadrian was making some drawings of "pumpkin domes" or segmented domes

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we don't have a pumpkin dome at the Pantheon, but we do have them at Hadrian's villa