Roman cities had a rectangular shape and were built around a grid system of parallel streets that intersected at right angles. The most important streets were the cardo maximus, which ran north-south, and the decumanus, which ran east-west. These two wide streets met at the center of the city, where the forum and markets were located. The forum was a large public square surrounded by temples, government buildings, and courts of law. Other common features of Roman cities included walls and gates for defense, baths, amphitheaters for entertainment, and circuses for chariot races.

1. Roman
cities

2. Let's have a look
at the typical parts of a
ROMAN CITY

3. A Roman city was basically composed
by :
✔
Parallel and equal-distant streets
✔
All the streets were equal except for two:
➔
the North-South one -kardo maximus-
➔
the East-West one -decumanus-

4. ✔
The city had a ___________ shape
✔
It was surrounded by a wall with watchtowers
rectangular

5. ✔
Kardo maximus and decumanus were wider than the
rest of the streets
✔
These two streets ended at the four gateways
to the exterior wall.

6. ➢
THE CITY WALLS
✔
They protected the city from enemies
✔
They had four gateways
Roman wall of Barcino (Barcelona).

7. ✔
At the cross of both streets were the city's forum and
the market
MARKET
FORUM

8. ✔
The streets of the Roman cities formed a
number
of equal components (little squares)

9. ✔
These components were necessary to design
the public buildings
➢
For example, the market was one component long
➢
The forum was two components long
...and so on

10. ➢
THE FORUM
✔
It was two components long
✔
It was an open square in the middle of the city
✔
This place was full of statues, altars, arches and
columns
✔
Forums were surrounded by temples and justice
buildings

11. TEMPLES BASILICAE
BUILDINGS AROUND
THE FORUM

12. ➢
THE TEMPLE
Temple of Venus and Rome
✔
It was dedicated to the many gods and godesses
of ancient Rome
✔
There were also temples for famous romans

13. ➢
THE BASILICA
The Basilica Julia
✔
It was primarily a judicial hall
✔
It was also a business place.
➔
Under its outside porticoes, shops were set up.
➔
Inside, there were money changers and bankers.

14. ➢
THE MARKET
✔
They sold fruit and vegetables, meat and fish
✔
It was one component long

15. ➢
THE BATHS
✔
It was one component long
✔
It was not only a place for washing, but also to
meet friends or do business
Trajan's Bathhouse (Rome)

16. ➢
THE AMPHITHEATRE
✔
It was two components long
and one-and-a-half wide
✔
In this place, prisoners and criminals were put to
death
✔
Some of them were attacked by wild animals, others
had to fight gladiators
The Roman
Coliseum

17. ➢
THE CIRCUS
✔
In this place, chariot races were held
✔
The horses raced around the track for seven times
Circus Maximus