The art of the Republican period and the beginning of the Em
The art of the Republican period and the beginning of the EmSculpture and painting of the Republican period, initially reflected Etruscan influences. As the empire expanded, exposure to other cultures and the art of Greece reflected a more eclectic style. The building of religious buildings and palaces was of importance, but also they began to concentrate on the needs of the whole community, of the ordinary people, for which they developed new building forms, new structural principles and new building materials. The most important development in this period was that of concrete.
Concrete in contrast to stone, was cheaper, easier to transport and required a less skilled workforce. Roman concrete consisted of powdered lime, sand, and various types of rubble, these were mixed with water, which caused the mixture to harden into a solid mass. Initially concrete was used mainly for poured foundations, but with advances it make indispensable to all types of structures and allowed more freedom and space for artistic experiment and expression.
The remains of the Sanctuary of Fortuna are an example of Republican Roman architecture. The sanctuary is dedicated to the goddess of fate and chance, was begun about 100 BCE. Its design and size reflect the influence of the Greek Hellenistic architecture, in the use of the long colonnade and the colossal scale of the great altar from Pergamon.
A Roman house of this period usually consisted of small rooms laid out on a straight, generally symmetrical plan, as in the House of Pansa in Pompeii (2nd Century BCE). From the entrance a corridor led to the atrium, a large...
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