Constructing the Ancient World: Architectural Techniques of the Greeks and Romans

This is a detailed, yet concise and authoritative survey of the architectural techniques used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. This fascinating volume provides a chronological overview of the methods and materials used in Greek and Roman architecture from the third century B.C. through the fifth century A.D. The first half of the book focuses on Greek architecture, tracing the development and uses of building materials throughout the Aegean region, as well as highlighting key innovations such as the replacement of wooden structures by those made of stone and the development of hoisting systems. The second half is devoted to the Romans, and shows how they not only expanded on the engineering experiments of the Greeks but also developed their own methods and materials. "Constructing the Ancient World" also features a wealth of illustrations of surviving structures, accompanied by concise explanations of the discovery, significance, and historical details, along with precise drawings clearly illustration the various techniques being discussed.