During the height of the power of the Roman Empire, few places on earth represented such centers of culture and majesty as the major Ancient Roman cities. Though there are many factors that contributed to the overall importance and characteristics of a city, perhaps none are as significant as the influence of the ancient Roman architects. Architecture and buildings had effects on all areas of Roman life, from leisure and recreational activities to places of business, from the lower class to the emperor himself. This is why the role of the ancient Roman architect was so important and influential.

Perhaps the best example of these factors can be seen in the empire’s most famous and important city, Rome itself. Beginning its life as a minute eighth-century Tiber River village, it grew to be one of the richest and most powerful cities ever created. The increasingly impressive display of architectural genius and the pure necessity for it, accommodate the city’s one million people at its height, showed influence in all areas and contributed to the city’s majestic nature. The emperors, the guiding forces behind the designs of the architects, wielded much of the control in the city’s growth. To exalt themselves, emperors built temples, palaces, triumphal arches, and other famous landmarks. To please their public they built theaters, baths, and other cultural centers. The Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, two such constructions, are a pair of the most internationally recognizable historical buildings. Because all of these examples hold such cultural and historical importance, they greatly contribute to the influence of the ancient Roman architects.

One very important architectural area is the role of the architects in the sacred places of Rome, the temples. The sheer number of temples, Rome alone having at least seven major ones, attests to their importance. The temples were designed magnificently, meaning to inspire the commoners and elevate their builders. The ceilings displayed images of Roman gods and deified the emperors. These were centers of religious influence and imperial power, showing, once again, the influence of the architects. The places of leisure and the markets, the baths and the forums are other examples of this trend. Several different emperors built forums or baths, as places to accommodate the city’s population, from the commoners to the patrician class. The Baths of Carcalla and the Baths of Titus provided swimming and bathing pools, playing fields, shops and gardens. Opened in 216, the baths are yet another example of Rome’s success in designing, building, and maintaining colossal structures of concrete and brick. Several emperors contributed to the finally massive size of the Forum, the major gathering and market center. Another place where the rich mingled with the poor, they too represent sites of great importance.

Probably the most necessary examples of masterful architecture are seen in the fabulous Roman waterways, the aqueducts. Without the careful design and skilled construction of these naturally important structures, it is unlikely that the city could have flourished as it did. In some cities of the former empire, though not Rome itself, because of their flawless design and natural practicality, the aqueducts still function as major waterways today. As with all the rest of the examples of Roman architecture, it goes to show just how vital and influential were the roles of the Ancient Roman architects.

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