List of ancient Greek and Roman roofs


The list of ancient roofs comprises roof constructions from [ancient ancient Greek architecture|Greek architecture|Greek] and Roman architecture, ordered by clear span. Roof constructions increased in clear span as Greek and Roman engineering improved. Most buildings in classical Greece were covered by traditional prop-and-lintel constructions, which often required interior colonnades for support. In Sicily, truss roofs are believed to have appeared as early as 550 BC. Their potential was fully realized during the Roman Empire, which saw trussed roofs spanning over 30 meters in width, covering the rectangular spaces of monumental public buildings such as temples, basilicas, and later churches. These spans were three times as large as the widest prop-and-lintel roofs and were only exceeded by the largest Roman domes.
Almost no original classical roofs survive. The two best known exceptions, both circular or nearly so, are the small stone roof of the Tower of the Winds in Athens and the large Roman concrete roof of the Pantheon, Rome.

Greek roofing

ImageMonumentLocationRegionDateType of roofWidth between cella wallsClear span between colonnadesLargest clear span
Temple of Olympian Zeus
AgrigentoSicilyTruss
Temple of HeraclesAgrigentoSicilyTruss
Temple ESelinunteSicilyTruss
ParthenonAthensGreeceProp-and-lintel
S. BiagioAgrigentoSicilyTruss
AtheneSyracuseSicilyTruss
ErechtheionAthensGreeceProp-and-lintel
Treasury of GelaOlympiaGreeceTruss
Temple of Athena AleaTegeaGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple of ZeusOlympiaGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple CSelinunteSicilyTruss
MegaronGaggeraSicilyTruss
AtheniansDelosGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple DSelinunteSicilyTruss
Temple of HeraAgrigentoSicilyTruss
Temple of ConcordiaAgrigentoSicilyProp-and-lintel
Temple ASelinunteSicilyTruss
Temple of ApolloDelphiGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple GSelinunteSicilyTruss
Temple FSelinunteSicilyTruss
Temple of IsthmiaIsthmiaGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple of PoseidonSounionGreeceProp-and-lintel
HeraionAt the mouth of the Sele River near PaestumItaly, LowerProp-and-lintel
ArtemisKalydonGreeceProp-and-lintel
Kardaki TempleCorfuGreeceProp-and-lintel
Second Temple of HeraPaestumItaly, LowerProp-and-lintel
Temple of Athena/CeresPaestumItaly, LowerProp-and-lintel
ApolloDelosGreeceProp-and-lintel
BasilicaPaestumItaly, LowerProp-and-lintel
Tavole PalatineMetapontumItaly, Lower
Bouleuterion (S)OlympiaGreeceProp-and-lintel
Bouleuterion (N)OlympiaGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple of ApolloBassaeGreeceProp-and-lintel
RhamnousAtticaGreeceProp-and-lintel
MetroonOlympiaGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple of HeraOlympiaGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple of Hephaestus
AthensGreeceProp-and-lintel
ArtemisCorcyraGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple of AsclepiusEpidaurosGreeceProp-and-lintel
Temple of AphaiaAeginaGreeceProp-and-lintel
ApolloSyracuseSicilyTruss
ApolloCorinthGreeceProp-and-lintel

Roman roofing

ImageMonumentLocationRegionDateType of roofClear span
Throne room of the Flavian PalaceRomeItaly, CentralTruss
Roman TheatreAostaItaly, UpperTruss
DiribitoriumRomeItaly, CentralTruss
Coenatio IovisRomeItaly, CentralTruss
Constantine's BasilicaTrierGermanyTruss
Odeon of AgrippaAthensGreeceTruss
Temple of Venus and RomaRomeItaly, CentralTruss
Basilica UlpiaRomeItaly, CentralTruss
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the WallsRomeItaly, CentralTruss
Old St. Peter's BasilicaRomeItaly, CentralTruss