The Story of Architecture; An Outline of the Styles in All Countries (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ...finally was drawn from each of the three into the numerous baths. To these were annexed the apodyteria or undressing rooms, the unctuaria or places for anointing the body, and the gymnasia, arena, and open-air palaestra for games and athletic contests. Concerning the actual architectural handling in detail of this great collection (aside from the plan and general distribution) our knowledge is rather more that of conjecture than absolute fact. And so, though M. Narrien is probably quite right in his statement, that these baths seem to want the good taste which characterized the works of Greece, Mr. Fergusson is none the less correct when he says, " There is nothing in the world which for size and grandeur can compare with these places of recreation. Theatres, Circuses, and A mphitheatres. The first company of players which ever performed at Rome was a band brought from Etruria in 364 B. C. But their performances were confined to pantomime and dancing, and it was not until 244 B. c. that the first regular drama was produced under the management of Livius Adronicus, and not until the year 54 B. C. that the first permanent theatre was built by Pompey. In general, the Roman theatres resembled those of Greece. They were designed in two parts--namely, the stage, with its adjuncts, and the auditorium. The stage was a rectangle, the longer side of which was equal to the diameter of the semicircle, forming the auditorium. The actors' dressing rooms opened directly on the stage, which was raised above tie orchestra and adorned with various orders. The auditorium, like that of the Greeks, consisted of an orchestra surrounded by concentric semicircles raised one above the other. It was reached by a flight of steps radiating from the centre to an...