The Romans focused a lot in architecture. They advanced a lot in architectural art and we use a lot of Roman influence nowadays. The Romans invented the famous arch, cement, and baked bricks. The arch was used for many purposes. For example, the arch was used in the aqueducts that transferred water from and out of the city. It was also very strong and used in many buildings. The arch then developed into the down that was basically overlapping arches that make a structure that looks like a half of a sphere. Cement was used a lot because it was stronger than the material they used before and it was very efficient. The Romans built many beautiful temples. They also built the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus. The Colosseum was a circular stadium that is called the ancestor of the modern soccer stadiums or other sport stadiums. In the middle of the Colosseum were competitions where gladiators fought each other or another animal. The Circus Maximus was another form of entertainment. The Circus Maximus was an oval shaped stadium. It had a spina in the middle that held an obelisk. It was called the "spina" for a reason. If you look closely at the word, you will see that "spina" looks and sounds a lot like the word "spine." Well that's exactly what it is! The spina means the broken back of their enemies. Many activities were held at the Circus Maximus such as the well known chariot racing competition.
