Already a member?
Sign in
| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 12 2008, 11:39 AM EDT | clemio | |
| Apr 2 2008, 7:14 AM EDT | clemio | 2 words added, 2 words deleted |
Changes
Key: Additions Deletions
A-C
| Term | Definition |
| Aedicule | An opening, often ornamental, framed by columns or pilasters supporting a pediment. |
| Alae | Wings or alcoves opening to left and/or right of the atrium of a Roman house. |
| Andron | An access corridor. For example, the corridor that generally joins the atrium with the peristyle in a typical atrium house. |
| Apodyterium | A changing room of a Roman baths. |
| Atrium | The main hall of a traditional Roman house. It could be completely roofed (testudinate) or have an opening (compluvium) in the middle of its roof and a water tank (impluvium) in the floor beneath. |
| Belvedere | A roofed open-sided building which commands a view. |
| Caldarium | The hot room of a Roman baths. |
| Caupona | An inn or tavern where hot meals were served to diners seated around a table. |
| Cavae | Ima, media, summa - Lower, middle and upper sections of tiered seating in a theatre or amphitheatre. |
| Cella | The central room of a temple where the image of the deity was placed. |
| Compluvium | An opening in the middle of the roof of an atrium to allow rainwater to fall into a water tank (impluvium) in the floor beneath. |
| Corinthian Order | The richest of the three Greek Orders, recognizable by its acanthus capitals. |
| Cryptoporticus | A ground-level or semi-subterranean vaulted corridor ususlly lit by openings in the vault. Its primary purpose is normally to buttress an adjacent structure, and secondly to provide a shady place to walk or store goods. |
| Cubiculum | A bedroom. |
| Culina | Kitchen, in some cases with Lararium for the Lares, the household gods. |
D-G
| Term | Definition |
| Diaetae | Day rooms for general purpose use. |
| Doric Order | The most austere of the three Greek Orders, distinguished by its plain capital and triglyph frieze. |
| Exedra | A recess, usually semi-circular or rectangular in shape. |
| First Style | Between 150-80 BC, sometimes called the 'incrustation' or 'structural' style, this style of fresco was characterised by paintings in imitation of architectural features and facings. |
| Fourth Style | From the end of the reign of Nero till 68 AD, this style of fresco was referred to as the 'ornamental style' and was marked by a taste for architectural vistas. |
| Frigidarium | The cold room of a Roman baths. |
H-L
| Term | Definition |
| Herma | A rectangular pillar of stone, terracotta, or bronze supporting a bust. |
| Impluvium | A water tank in the floor of an atrium that has, above it, an opening (compluvium) in the middle of its roof. |
| Ionic Order | One of the three Greek Orders, recognizable by its volute capitals. |
| Labrum | A basin used to contain water. |
| Laconicum | The hot, dry room of a Roman baths. |
| Lararium | A shrine to the household gods of a Roman house. |
M-Q
| Term | Definition |
| Nymphaeum | A grotto with a natural water supply dedicated to the nymphs - later an artificial grotto or fountain building. |
| Oecus | The main living room of a Greek house, introduced to Roman architecture along with the peristyle. Often used for dining. |
| Opus Graticium | A quick and inexpensive form of wall construction having a wooden framework combined with Opus Incertum. |
| Opus Incertum | A form of wall construction having an irregular facing of small stones in-filled with small stones (caementa) overlain wtih mortar to form a cohesive mass. |
| Opus Reticulatum | A form of wall construction having a facing of small stones with a square face laid diagonally, in-filled with small stones (caementa) overlain wtih mortar to form a cohesive mass. |
| Opus Sectile | A geometric pattern of motifs in polychromed marble used to decorate floors and walls. |
| Opus Tesselatum | A fairly simple mosaic technique, involving making a pattern using tiny cubes (tesserae) of stone, marble, terracotta or glass pastes. |
| Palaestra | An open area surrounded by covered porticoes used for wrestling and exercise, often forming part of a Roman bath complex. |
| Peristyle | An open courtyard or garden surrounded by a colonnade. |
| Podium | The raised platform on which the columns and cella of a Roman temple stand. |
| Posticum | A house's second, or tradesman's entrance. |
| Praefurnium | A boiler room, esp. for Roman baths. |
| Public Domain | A range of abstract materials – commonly referred to as intellectual property – which are not owned or controlled by anyone. The term indicates that these materials are therefore 'public property', and available for anyone to use for any purpose. |
R-Z
| Term | Definition |
| Scaenae Frons | The monumental facade that forms a backdrop to the stage of a Roman theatre. |
| Second Style | Between 1st century BC and AD 62, this style emerged as an original expression of Roman art. Towards the end of the period, the wall space was decorated with mythological scenes and illusionistic spaces. |
| Tablinum | The central room at the end of the atrium of a Roman house, originally the master bedroom, later used for storing records. |
| Tepidarium | The warm room of a Roman baths. |
| Thermopolium | The equivalent of a modern day cafe/bar. Hot and cold food was sold from what was usually an 'L' shaped masonry counter containing terracotta vessels. |
| Third Style | From the end of the reign of Augustus, a more delicate and colourful style of fresco. It was enriched by Egyptian art, and was later referred to as the Egyptian style. |
| Triclinium | The dining-room of a Roman house, so-called because of the three banqueting couches (klinai) arranged around the walls. |
| Velarium | A cloth canopy used to protect spectators at a theatre or amphitheatre from sun and rain. |
| Vestibulum | An entrance hallway - hence vestibule. |
| Viridarium | An ornamental garden replete with statuary and fountains in the peristyle or courtyard of a house. |
