Roman architectural practice and the funding of public buildings

Abstract

The industry related to the art and science of building, with its emergence at the onset of the Neolithic revolution, is effectively the fixed investment of a nation. It is a main source of employment for many workers. Such activities were a focal point in the Ancient Roman building industry. The Romans were well aware of the main difference between building and other manufacturing industries, namely, that the resultant product is assembled on site where it is to be used. They developed an awareness associated with the financial, organizational, and managerial difficulties involved. The following three issues will be considered in this article: the relevance of Roman philosophy of architectural education and its influence on politicians: how free was free labour and why?: and finally, to what extent were public buildings publicly funded? These issues were addressed by considering (1) the setting for Roman architectural practice, (2) architectural education and educational architecture, (3) public works and labour force, (4) public and private funds for public buildings and (5) public administration and architects' professional ethics regarding financial matters in the building industry.