Date: 118-128
-Single most important Roman structure
-Our essay is on it!! (Know elements that make it an appropriate place for worship)
-Best preserved Roman structure in Rome
-Built for the emperor Hadrian
-Means "all of the gods"
-Roman religion: absorbed Greek gods and renamed them (Zeus-->Jupiter)
-Front makes it look like a traditional religious structure
-When you get into the main part (cella), it looks much different
o Is basically a huge sphere
o Appropriate place for Romans to worship (had altars for all the main Roman gods)
o Beautifully decorated floor (squares, circles; two perfect geometric shapes)
o Perfect geometric reflects divinity
o Vault represents dome of heaven
o Center of dome: opening to the sky above (OCULUS-means "eye")
-Thick concrete walls of the barrel supports the heavy weight of the dome
-An earthly sphere meeting a heavenly sphere
-Functions almost like sundial-makes visible the movement of the heavens/sun
-Greeks liked exteriors; Romans like interiors
o Interior=so beautiful-->you're entering a holy place (this is so beautifully decorated and designed)
