Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: The Spolia of Late Antique and Early Christian Rome

The architectural landscape of present-day Rome is a physical history lesson in the use of spolia; ancient marble blocks lie embedded in medieval fortresses, pieces of aqueducts appear in walls, and decorative columns sit recontextualized in grand cathedrals. Spolia refers to the intentional reuse of materials or artifacts in the creation of new structures, and when examined critically it can reveal the history surrounding the many lives the materials have lived. During the transitional phase between late antique Rome and early Christian Rome, the use of spolia reached an all time high. The emergence of Christianity in Rome coupled with the political and economic decline of the empire created a demand for large amounts of cheap building material. With Gaulish invaders to the north, Romans found themselves in dire need of fortification. In addition to the convenience of spolia in mass building projects like the Aurelian Wall, the use of spolia emerged as a way to reconcile the past and present of Rome amidst its rapidly shifting social climate. Clergymen and emperors alike had to recontextualize the physical landscape of the city to fit a modern, Christian framework

All roads lead to Rome, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Advice on QSEP navigation from the ‘Roman Gods’ of assessment!

Rome was the point of convergence of all the main roads of the Roman Empire. When Roman emperor Caesar Augustus erected the ‘Milliarium Aureum’ (Golden Milestone) in the heart of Ancient Rome, all roads were designed to begin at the monument. Metaphorically, the ancient proverb ‘All roads lead to Rome’ means there are many different ways of reaching the same goal or conclusion. QSEP training is a bit like that, with trainees engaging with so many different types of clients, settings, cultures, approaches and interventions that no two portfolios of work look alike. Yet, the competency demonstration ‘end goal’ is the same. The ancient Romans were also wise; they knew that in building their Roman empire (or for us building relationships and competence as Sport and Exercise Psychologists), doing something important or creating a masterpiece takes the time it takes; ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ and, metaphorically, QSEP is not something to rush or smear with impatience either

Additive Manufacturing a Liquid Hydrogen Rocket Engine

Space Propulsion is a 5 day event being held from 2nd May to the 6th May 2016 at the Rome Marriott Park Hotel in Rome, Italy. This event showcases products like Propulsion sub-systems and components, Production and manufacturing issues, Liquid, Solid, Hybrid and Air-breathing Propulsion Systems for Launcher and Upper Stages, Overview of current programmes, AIV issues and tools, Flight testing and experience, Technology building blocks for Future Space Transportation Propulsion Systems : Launchers, Exploration platforms & Space Tourism, Green Propulsion for Space Transportation, New propellants, Rocket propulsion & global environment, Cost related aspects of Space Transportation propulsion, Modelling, Pressure-Thrust oscillations issues, Impact of new requirements and regulations on design etc. in the Automotive, Manufacturing, Fabrication, Repair & Maintenance industries

The Modern Day Rome? The Correlation between the Roman Republic and the United States of America

When America’s founding fathers sought to create their new nation, they turned to the reliability and practicality of the Roman Republic. While careful to not create a carbon copy of the Republic, the founders drew inspiration from Rome’s symbolism and everyday life, government, philosophy, military strategies, and religious tolerance. This paper will highlight the similarities that exist between the Roman Republic and the United States in the above mentioned five areas. Much of Rome’s example has outlived both Rome and the founding fathers in its effectiveness and viability. The Roman Republic may have fallen, but her influence lives on through the heartbeat of the United States of America

Veduta del Tempio di Antonino e Faustino in Campo Vaccino

Giovanni Battista Piranesi is one of history’s best etchers and architects. His two main series of copper etchings, I Carceri (The Prisons) and Vedute (The Views) spread out across the European continent and beyond both during his life and after his death. The “Wonders of Nature and Artifice” exhibition at Schmucker Art Gallery is lucky to have one of his original prints from the Vedute series generously on loan, from the Collection of Professor Charles F. Emmons, Professor of Sociology here at Gettysburg College. The print sizes in at 35 inches by 25 and a half inches, depicting a temple-church combination that stands in the Roman Forum with 18th century Rome stretching out behind it, and various denizens of the 19th century surrounding the structure. The title of the print, Veduta del Tempio di Antonino e Faustina in Campo Vaccino is a very literal one, translating to “View of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in Campo Vaccino”, Campo Vaccino being a cow pasture that became the Roman Forum before the area was excavated. [excerpt

Considerations on reduction of indoor air pollution from radioactive emissions from building materials and the ground

The goal of this paper is to study the reduction of health risks from indoor radioactive pollutants, as thoron emissions from common building materials, and radon emission from both building materials and the ground. In particular, when dealing with the indoor environment, one of the most important hazard is represented by radon gas, considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the second largest cause of lung cancer, cigarette smoke being the first. Such a radioactive gas belongs to the natural radioactive background of radiation, and its presence all over the world is unavoidable. Radon gas density varies due to microclimatic factors such as temperature, air pressure, humidity and changes in ground layers. Radon gas emerges from the ground and penetrates building basements, accumulating itself into the indoor air, and being breathed in by people. Taking care of the airtightness of windows allows the radon concentration to build up, in some cases beyond reference levels, together with other chemical pollutants, i.e. combustion residues and solvents. The EU Basic Safety Standards, stated in the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, based on the last recommendations from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and from WHO, are focusing on risks related to radon gas concentration inside dwellings and working places. On considering that Council Directive 2013/59 Euratom has to be transposed into law by each EU Member State by February 2018, it is recommended that radon issues have to be considered during the design phase of the building construction. For NZEB applications a special attention is requested when energy consumption is reduced lower and lower by taking care of airtightness. In such a case, indoor pollutants (chemical, radioactive, particulate, etc.) can significantly accumulate beyond safe levels. This paper describes measurements and remedial actions of study cases, focusing on public and domestic environments

Spatial planning and architectural innovation in the Roman town of Ocriculum.

The Roman settlement of Ocriculum (Otricoli, TR - Umbria), built on a tufa slope between the Tiber valley to the north and the San Vittore valley to the south, was established on massive substructures, which allowed the exploitation of a larger area. Albeit being relatively neglected by modern scholarship, these structures are none the less crucial to a thorough analysis of the urban planning of Ocriculum. Two buildings are mutually connected inside the city, even if they were not built at the same time: the bath complex, built in the mid-2nd century AD and restored until the 4th-5th cent. AD, and the underlying culvert, in which the San Vittore still flows, which was certainly built before the baths and most likely alongside the substructures. This artificial terrace, on which the baths lie and under which the channel runs, has been the first human alteration of the slope. The bath complex, although not entirely preserved, features several interesting architectural innovations. Modern technologies were employed alongside traditional methodologies to analyse the two buildings. This allowed not only a 3D reconstruction of these structures, but also a deep knowledge of the urban development and architectural history of Ocriculum. The culvert is part of the earliest attempts to shape the natural landscape for settlement purposes. On the overlying terrace there should have lain not only the bath complex, but also the theatre scene and its porticus post scaenam (both no longer visible). For this reason, the theatre is later than the culvert and not earlier (Hay-Keay-Millet, 2013). Consequently, the close “Great Substructures” belong to the same construction phase of the theatre, because they support the thrust of the upper terrace, on which was most likely found the political and religious centre of Ocriculum. Furthermore, the octagonal hall of the baths and the smaller circular hall (the only preserved rooms of the entire complex) are an important proof of the wealth of this city. They were roofed by a so-called shellshaped dome (consisting of 41 nails) and by a dodecagonal cross-vault, consisting of six larger convex wedges alternating with six smaller ones: it seems to be a hexagonal segmental dome. The first one, built as a pluri-composed cross-vault, surely functioned as a hemispherical dome. It lies on a circular springing, that is connected with the underlying octagonal hall through triangular ashlars, covered with plaster. Both the “shell-shaped” dome and the angular connectors are an innovation and also an unicum in Roman architecture. This allows to identify Ocriculum as a very rich town, inhabited by wealthy people enriched thanks to the trades on the Tiber and the Via Flaminia, but also by famous people like Milone (Cic., Pro Milone, 24, 64) and Pompea Celerina, the rich mother-in-law of Pliny the young (Plin., Ep., I, 4, 1). Furthermore, Ocriculum was seamlessly inhabited even after the collapse of the Roman Empire. The baths have repeatedly been refurbished up to the 4th-5th century: this testifies to the importance of this building for the urban community. In the end, the absence of fortifications could be explained with the identification of this settlement near the port as a monumental detachment of the city on the top of the hill (which was never abandoned)