Roman Frescoes: Not Just a Pretty Face

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So what is a Fresco? There were several types, most of which, most people haven't heard of. Would you be surprised that many of the Roman frescos that we "Ohh" and "Ahhh" over today, were considered ridiculous and tacky, but some Roman authorities of the time? Listen to this episode and learn something new about Roman Frescoes. Photos of this episode: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXIBSuVl-4T/ ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://ko-fi.com/buildlikearoman Glossary for this episode A secco Painting carried out on dry plaster, using a binder such as glue, egg, or wax to help the pigment adhere. It allows finer detail than true fresco, but is less durable. Albararii Roman plasterers who applied and polished the fine white finishing coats on walls and ceilings. Buon fresco “True fresco.” Pigment mixed with water is applied to fresh lime plaster while it is still damp and setting, so the colour bonds into the wall surface itself. Calcite A mineral form of calcium carbonate. Fresco A general term often used loosely for wall painting Fresco secco Literally “dry fresco.” Another way of saying painting done on dry plaster rather than into a fresh lime surface. Hybrid fresco-secco workflow The combination of a durable fresco base with additional details painted later in secco. This seems to have been common in Roman wall painting. Insulae Roman apartment blocks Lime The key binding material in Roman plaster and mortar. It was central to both construction and decoration. Lime wash A thin coating of lime, often tinted, used to brighten or colour a wall. It could be simple, economical, and very common. Marble aggregate Small crushed marble fragments used in fine Roman plasters to improve finish, density, and sheen. Mezzo fresco A term used for painting onto plaster that is no longer freshly wet but still damp enough to take pigment. Mosaic A floor or wall surface made from small pieces of stone, glass, or ceramic. In Roman interiors, mosaics often worked visually with painted walls. Pictor imaginarius A specialist painter, especially one responsible for more refined or figurative wall painting. Pigment The colouring material used in paint. Roman pigments could be cheap local earths or imported luxury substances. Plaster A coating of lime mixed with sand, marble dust, or other aggregates, applied in layers to walls and ceilings. In Roman interiors it formed the decorative skin of the building. Pozzolana Volcanic ash used in Roman mortars and concrete. More associated with structural work than fine painted plaster, but part of the broader Roman lime technology. Sandiarii Workers involved in transporting or handling sand and other raw materials used in plaster and mortar preparation. Sinopia A red ochre underdrawing or marking-out method. The term is often associated with later painting practice, though marking-out techniques in general were also used by the Romans. String line A line snapped or pressed onto a plaster surface to guide straight borders, panels, or architectural designs. Stucco In the Roman ContextFine decorative plaster Trompe l’oeil A painting technique designed to “fool the eye” by creating the illusion of depth, architecture, or open space on a flat surface. Vitruvius Roman architect and author Whitewash / whitewashing A simple lime-based coating used to whiten and brighten walls. In Roman interiors this could be a finished surface in its own right or a base for further decoration. Sources: * Vitruvius, De Architectura (Book VII) * Pliny the Elder, Natural History (Book XXXV) * August Mau, Pompeii: Its Life and Art (1899) * Roger Ling, Roman Painting (1991) * Donatella Mazzoleni & Umberto Pappalardo, Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House Buy me a Coffee [https://ko-fi.com/buildlikearoman] Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/buildlikearoman.bsky.social] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/build_like_a_roman/] Follow: Acast [https://shows.acast.com/68ad5c37b1a334874a744a69/697df5c622b46a261ab8950d] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/build-like-a-roman/id1873634566] Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BuildLikeARoman] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3keRSIipuoxRkagDXSMkmp] Music Happy harp 6109353 ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Roman Roofer: Thatch, Stone and Clay

Does "Roman Roofs" make you think of red clay tile? Well, one of the most common types of Roman roof was probably thatch. Listen to this weeks episode to learn more about the person who did it. The Roofer. This weeks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DY5HjhNF_m8/ ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://ko-fi.com/buildlikearoman GLOSSARY Artisan A skilled craft worker. In this episode, the term refers to the people who physically made, laid, repaired, or finished Roman roofs, rather than the architects or patrons who commissioned buildings. Carpentarius A Latin term connected with carpentum, a carriage or wagon. Carpentum A Roman carriage or wagon. Fired clay Clay hardened by heating in a kiln. Roman roof tiles were commonly made of fired clay, especially the familiar tegulaand imbrex system. Flashing A protective strip or sheet, often of lead, used to keep water from entering vulnerable joints in a roof, such as around edges, walls, gutters, or roof intersections. The term is modern, but the principle is relevant to ancient roofing. Freedman / freedwoman A formerly enslaved person who had been manumitted. In Roman craft production, freedmen and freedwomen could remain connected to former owners, workshops, households, or trade networks. Graffiti tile A tile marked before firing with writing, symbols, footprints, or other informal marks. The episode mentions examples of inscribed roof tiles, including tiles associated with enslaved women working in tile production. Imbrex The curved Roman roof tile placed over the joints between flat tiles. Plural: imbrices. In the standard Roman tile roof, the imbrices cover the seams between rows of tegulae. Kiln A high-temperature oven used to fire clay objects such as bricks, roof tiles, and pottery. In tile production, shaped clay tiles were dried first and then fired in a kiln. Plumbarius A Latin term for a worker associated with lead, from plumbum, meaning lead. It is connected to the later word “plumber,” although modern plumbers usually work mostly with other materials. Plumbum Latin for lead. This is the root of English words such as “plumber” and the chemical symbol Pb for lead. Roofer A modern English term for a craft worker who installs or repairs roofs. The episode stresses that there is no single, simple Roman equivalent covering every roofing material and roofing task. Scandulae Latin term for wooden shingles or roofing boards. These would have formed lightweight timber roofing coverings in some regions, though they rarely survive archaeologically. Scandularius A worker associated with scandulae, or wooden shingles. The term is rare and mainly epigraphic, so its exact occupational meaning should be treated cautiously. Slate A thin, split stone used as a roofing material. The episode uses “slate” broadly for stone roof tiles, noting that stone roofing was part of the wider Roman roofing repertoire. Tegula The flat Roman roof tile. In a typical Roman tile roof, tegulae formed the main flat covering, with raised edges or joints protected by imbrices. Tegulae Plural of tegula. These are the flat tiles in the Roman roof-tile system. Tegularius A Latin occupational term connected with tegula. It may refer to a tile-maker, tile worker, or possibly roofer, but it does not map neatly onto the modern English word “roofer.” Terracotta Fired clay, usually reddish or orange in colour. Roman roof tiles are often reconstructed as terracotta, though the episode argues that this was not the only roofing material used. Thatch A roofing material made from plant stems, such as reeds, straw, or long grasses. Tile yard A production area where clay tiles were shaped, dried, trimmed, and prepared for firing Sources Alan McWhirr and David Viner (1978). “The Production and Distribution of Tiles in Roman Britain with Particular Reference to the Cirencester Region.” Fikret Yegül and Diane Favro (2019). Roman Architecture and Urbanism: From the Origins to Late Antiquity. Peter Warry (2006). “A Dated Typology for Roman Roof-Tiles (Tegulae).” Buy me a Coffee [https://ko-fi.com/buildlikearoman] Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/buildlikearoman.bsky.social] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/build_like_a_roman/] Follow: Acast [https://shows.acast.com/68ad5c37b1a334874a744a69/697df5c622b46a261ab8950d] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/build-like-a-roman/id1873634566] Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BuildLikeARoman] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3keRSIipuoxRkagDXSMkmp] Music Happy harp 6109353 ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

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Roman Frescoes: Not Just a Pretty Face

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