cum plintho dimidia crassitudine constituatur; capituli ratio ita fiat, uti in libro
tertio est demonstratum. Si corinthia erit, scapus et spira uti in ionica; capitulum autem, quemadmodum in quarto libro est
scriptum, ita habeant rationem. Stylobatisque adiectio quae fit per scabillos inpares, ex descriptione, quae supra scripta
est in libro tertio, sumatur. Epistylia, coronae ceteraque omnia ad columnarum rationem ex scriptis voluminum superiorum
explicentur.
Translation
4. But if the columns are lonic, the shaft apart from the base and capital is to be divided into 8 1/2 parts and of these
one is to be given to the diameter of the column. The base, with the plinth, is to be of half the diameter. The capital is to
be designed as set forth in the third book. If the column is Corinthian, the shaft and base are to be as in the lonic, but
the capital is to be proportioned as set forth in the fourth book. The addition to the stylobates is to be made by unequal
ordinates in accordance with the description which is given above in the third book. The architraves, cornices and other
features are to be arranged to suit the columns in accordance with the previous books.
5. Media vero spatia quae erunt subdiu inter porticus, adornanda viridibus videntur, quod hypaethroe ambulationes habent
magnam salubritatem. Et primum oculorum, quod ex viridibus subtilis et extenuatus aer propter motionem corporis influens
perlimat speciem et ita auferens ex oculis umorem crassum, aciem tenuem et acutam speciem relinquit; praeterea, cum corpus
motionibus in ambulatione calescat, umores ex membris aer exsugendo inminuit plenitates extenuatque dissipando quod plus
inest quam corpus potest sustinere.
Translation
5. The open spaces which are between the colonnades under the open sky, are to be arranged with green plots; because walks
in the open are very healthy, first for the eyes, because from the green plantations, the air being subtle and rarefied,
flows into the body as it moves, clears the vision, and so by removing the thick humour from the eyes, leaves the glance
defined and the image clearly marked. Moreover, since in walking the body is heated by motion, the air extracts the humours
from the limbs, and diminishes repletion, by dissipating what the body has, more than it can carry.
6. Hoc autem ita esse ex eo licet animadvertere, quod, sub tectis cum sint aquarum fontes aut etiam sub terra palustris
abundantia, ex his nullus surgit umor nebulosus, sed in apertis hypaethrisque locis, cum sol oriens vapore tangat mundum, ex
umidis et abundantius excitat umores et exconglobatos in altitudinem tollit. Ergo si ita videtur, uti in hypaethris locis ab
aere umores ex corporibus exsugantur molestiores, quemadmodum ex terra per nebulas videntur, non puto dubium esse, quin
amplissimas et ornatissimas subdiu hypaethrisque conlocari oporteat in civitatibus ambulationes.
Tranlation
6. We can perceive that this is so from the fact that when springs of water are under cover, or there is underground a marshy
flow, no moist vapour rises. In places open to the air and sky, when the rising sun touches the world with its warmth, it
draws the moisture from moist sites even more abundantly, gathers it together and raises it above. Therefore if it appears
that in open places the more troublesome moisture is sucked out from the body, as it is seen to be drawn from the earth
through the clouds, I do not think it is doubtful but that in cities extensive and ornate parades should be placed in the
open, and exposed to the sun.
7. Eae autem uti sint semper siccae et non lutosae, sic erit faciendum. Fodiantur et exinaniantur quam altissime. Dextra atque
sinistra structiles cloacae fiant, inque earum parietibus qui ad ambulationem spectaverint, tubuli instruantur inclinati
fastigio. In cloacis his perfectis compleantur ea loca carbonibus, deinde insuper sabulone eae ambulationes sternantur et
exaequentur. Ita propter carbonum raritatem naturalem et tubulorum in cloacas instructionem excipientur aquarum abundantiae,
et ita siccae et sine umore perfectae fuerint ambulationes.
Translation
7. in order that these walks may be always dry and free from mud, the following measures should be taken. They are to be dug and emptied out as deeply as possible.
Drains are to be constructed right and left. In the walls of these, which are on the side of the parade, pipes are to be
fixed inclined to the drains. When this is complete, the place is to be filled with charcoal; then above this the walks are
to be covered with sand and levelled. Thus by the natural porosity of the charcoal, and by the insertion of the pipes, the
overflow of the water will be taken off. Thus the parades will be dry and without moisture.
8. Praeterea in his operibus thensauri sunt civitatibus in necessariis rebus a moribus constituti. in conclusionibus enim
reliqui omnes faciliores sunt apparatus quam lignorum. Sal enim facile ante inportatur, frumenta publice privatimque expeditius
congeruntur, et si defit, holeribus, carne seu leguminibus defenditur, aquae fossuris puteorum et de caelo repentinis
tempestatibus ex tegulis excipiuntur. De lignatione quae maxime necessaria est ad cibum quoquendum, difficilis et molesta
est apparatio, quod et tarde conportatur et plus consumitur.
Translation
8. Moreover in these buildings, custom included depots for stores required by the cities. In times of siege, the provision
of everything else is more easy than that of wood. Salt is easily brought in beforehand. Corn is quickly gathered by the
community and by individuals. If it fails, provision can be made with green vegetables, meat or beans. Water is obtained by
the digging of wells; in sudden storms it is received from the sky by the roof tiles. But the provision of fire-wood, which
is most necessary for cooking food, is difficult and troublesome. For it takes time to collect and is used in large quantities.
9. In eiusmodi temporibus tunc eae ambulationes aperiuntur et mensurae tributim singulis capitibus designantur. Ita duas
res egregias hypaethra ambulationem praestant, unam in pace salubritatis, alteram in bello salutis. Ergo his rationibus
ambulationum explicationes non solum post scaenam theatri, sed etiam omnium deorum templis effectae magnas civitatibus
praestare poterunt ulilitates.
Quoniam haec nobis satis videntur esse exposita, nunc insequentur balinearum dispositionum demonstrationes.
Translation
9. In times of siege the walks are thrown open, and wood is distributed to each citizen according to his tribe. Thus walks
in the open air serve two outstanding purposes: health in time of peace, and security in war. In this way the laying out of
walks, not only behind the stage of the theatre but also for the temples of all the gods, can furnish cities with great
advantages.
Since these topics seem to us to be enough explained, there will now follow a description of the planning of baths.
COMMENT
The first period of this chapter describes the origin of the portico behind the scene. Vitruvius refers to Greek examples. Indeed,
it was common practice in Greece to build a portico or collonade in relation to a theatre to provide shelter to the spectators in case of rain or
as a walking place during the pauses between the plays. The most striking example is maybe the portico of Eumenes at the right side (seen from the theatre) of the theatre
of Dionysos on the south slope of the acropolis at Athens. The odeon which is mentionned in relation to this stoa is the odeon of Pericles at the left side of the
theatre. It consists of a square covered hall with a ceiling supported by rows of columns.
Roman architects adopted these colonnades behind the scene. Vitruvius mentions a colonnade in relation to the theatre of Pompey, one of the two theatres he could have seen in Rome.
The theatre of Pompey was built in 55 BC. Not much is known about it. It is represented on the forma urbis but nowadays it is completely built over but from
scattered finds and the indications on the Forma Urbis a quadriporticus of 180 x 135 m is supposed. It is possible that the architects of Rome saw exaples of these quadriporticoes
in the Greek colonies of southern Italy which in their turn influenced the layout of the great theatre of Pompeii. This theatre can be dated at about 200 BC and it is much influenced by Greek prototypes.
It has a great quadriportico behind the scene. After the earthquake of 62 AD it was transformed in to the gladiatorial barracks.
Also the theatre of Ostia, built in the early augustan period (18-12 BC) has a similar quadriportico of 107x78 m.
Rome, Theatre and porticus of Pompeius
Ostia, Theatre and porticus
Pompeii, theatre and porticus
The second period gives the general layout of the quadriporticus. It consists of a double row of columns. The distances of the middle column to the front and
the rear wall equals the heigth of the outer column. The intercolumniation or distance from one column to another is 5,5 modules. The end of the sentence is
remarquable in that the central column is one fifth higher than the outer column.
At first thoughts this seems rather strange since we are used to think about a roof with a timber construction made of beams and rafters that rest on a substructure of equal height.
This way of thinking even led some scholars to think that Vitruvius made here a mistake or that there crept in an error in the manuscripts.
But this disposition was exactly meant by Vitruvius and further in this discussion we will see why this higher central column is necessary. We can find an example of this layout in the stoa of Zeus Eleutherios on the north west corner of the Athenian agora.
Although almost nothing is left in situ we learn from the excavation that this was a double portico in a single storey. The outer order was doric while the central columns where ionic.
Since these central columns had to support the ridge of the roof without interference of a rafter and beam construction, they had to be higher than the outer columns. This practice was generally followed in Greek
stoa construction and it is obvious that Vitruvius uses here these porticoes as model for his own prescriptions.
periods 3 and 4 are about the proportions of the columns. The explanation may seem a little confused: de proportions of the outer doric order are derived from a modular system which is 1/15 of the height
of the column. On the other hand the proportions of the inner ionic order are based on the lower diameter of the column. It seems like Vitruvius is mixing two different measure systems. In reality he stays
consequent with his own way of thinking. Indeed, in book 3 which handles about the ionic order, he used the lower diameter of the column as basic measure from which all other are derived. On the other hand, when he discusses
the doric column in book 4 he takes the module als basic element. In book 4 as well as in this sentence this module equals half the lower diameter of the column.
There were also optical corrections: the stylobate has a slight curvature. The purpose of this correction, as is already described in book 3, chapter 4, is to obtain the aspect of a level line; if the stylobate is made level (i.e. without curvature)
the eye will percieve it as a hollow line. Here also Vitruvius prescribes the method of the scabelli (or scamilli) impares.
At the end of the sentence he refers to book 4 were we can find the proportions of the architrave and the frieze and cornice of the doric order. It means that to the height of the columns 1 module is added for the architrave, 1,5 module for the frieze an half a module for the cornice.
When we consider all these measures together we can see that to the initial height of the doric column 1/5 is added for achitrave, frieze and cornice. So, the overall height of the façade equals the height of the central ionic column. If we put a longitudinal beam on top of the central
columns, this will add a little to the height of the central part of the portico. The result is a nearly flat roof.
Period 5 and 6 are about the layout of the central part of the quadriporticus. Trees and shrubs provide shade and are healthy for those who walk there. As is the case in other parts of the treatise, Vitruvius shows once again his general concern about health and wellness.
The drainage system that is described in period 7 is very effective. It can even be used today and will prove very efficient.
Finally in periods 8 and 9 Vitruvius describes some additional uses of these colonnades as storeroom for provisions and wood in case of siege.
Pula (Croatia), Theatre and porticus as represented by Serlio (1540)
Tergeste (trieste), theatre and porticus
Vitruvius' description is merely based on the layout of the theatre of Pompey but in some later examples we find the porticus behind the scene reduced to a single colonnade against the back wall of the scene. An example of this disposition is seen in the great theatre of Pula (Croatia), built around the middle of the 1st century AD and represented in the treatise of Serlio. Another one is the theatre of Tergeste (Triest) where we see a portico of 4 m wide and 63,85 m long adjacent to the rear wall of the scene.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
F.Granger, Vitruvius, On Architecture, Cambridge, Massachussets, London, 1932.
C.Perrault, Les dix livres d'architecture de Vitruve, Paris, 1684.
T.Peters, Vitruvius, Handboek Bouwkunde, Amsterdam, 1999.
W.B.Dinsmoor, The Architecture of Ancient Greece, London, New York, Toronto, Sydney, 1950.
H.Knell, Vitruvs Architekturtheorie, Darmstadt, 1991.
P.Gros, L'architecture Romaine, 1 Les monuments publics, Paris, 2002.
F.Sear, Roman Theatres, an Architectural Study, Oxford, 2006.
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VITRUVIUS, BOOK V, CHAPTER 9:
2. Quae videntur ita oportere conlocari, uti duplices sint habeantque exteriores columnas doricas cum epistyliis et ornamentis
ex ratione modulationis perfectas. Latitudines autem earum ita oportere fieri videntur, uti, quanta altitudo columnae fuerit
exteriores, tantam latitudinem habeant ab inferiore parte columnarum extremarum ad medias et a medianis ad parietes qui
circumcludunt porticus ambulationes. Medianae autem columnae quinta parte altiores sint quam exteriores, sed aut ionico aut
corinthio genere deformentur.