When most people think of the Empire State Building, they are not reminded of the buildings of Ancient Rome.  Enormous buildings embellished with elaborated features, from the floors to the ceiling, were an asset of the architecture at the time.  Two of the most prominent structures of the ancient world include the Colosseum and the Pantheon.  Both of these structures were constructed differently and for different reasons.  Because Roman architecture has had a substantial influence on architecture today, without knowledge of this topic, it would be very difficult to understand the remains of these ancient buildings, as well as, the similarities between ancient and modern architecture.  While the Colosseum and the Pantheon are presented as some of the greatest architectural advancements of the ancient world, they are additionally what stimulated many present day buildings to be constructed using the procedure used in the present day.

The Colosseum
Designing the Colosseum was a task accomplished by two architects, Titus and Vespasian, according to Lesley A. DuTemple, author of The Colosseum.  At the time, the building was originally named the “Flavian Amphitheater”, after the Vespasian family (28).  Today, however it is known around the world as the Colosseum or the Coliseum.  The location for the Colosseum was not randomly selected; as Ada Gabucci states in Ancient Rome: Art, Architecture and History, the Colosseum was built over the “Domus Aurea” (42).  The Domus Aurea, a popular villa of the time, had burnt down during a large scale fire.  Before the construction had begun, “the site had been identified and drained” (DuTemple 28).  The area in which they had planned to build the Colosseum must have been over either water or moist clay or soil.  After years of meticulous construction, today, the Colosseum is known as the most renowned amphitheater of the ancient world because of its contrasts to other ancient buildings.  Setting it apart are its most well-known features: the arches, columns and the hypogeum.  What set the Colosseum so far apart from each other Greek and Roman amphitheater was the hypogeum, “the extraordinary, long-neglected ruins beneath the Colosseum floor” states Tom Mueller, author of “Secrets of the Colosseum”, an article in Smithsonian Magazine.  This original piece of the Colosseum was a secret to most of the world while it was in use.  During this time, it wasn’t noted as an influential piece because most that had seen it were not fond of it. The hypogeum was used for the storage of animals and gladiators as they prepared to fight in the arena; it was a small, tight area which was uncomfortable to be in. But without this distinctive feature, the Colosseum would not have been as well-remembered for its design.

The Colosseum was made on a large scale compared to other structures of the time; it was capable of fitting fifty thousand people at once (DuTemple 26).  This, in the ancient world was larger than what most had previously seen; it was a spectacular site to many individuals.  At the time, the amphitheater was where “gladiators fought to their death for the public’s entertainment” (Mueller).  Many individuals today believe that these fights, containing both man and animal, are completely ridiculous and disgusting.  These individuals, however, fail to understand how the times have changed.  Battles between two men, or a man and an animal, were seen as a sport, rather than vicious, insensitive actions.  It is therefore unfair to judge the ancient Romans on what was normal based on today’s knowledge.  During this period, the Colosseum was seen as a present day sporting arena.  In other words, fans of all kinds would gather to watch the fights while cheering for their favorite competitor to win, similar to a football stadium.
The architecture of today would not be the same if it were not for the construction of the Colosseum.  For instance, the tiered seating, from the floor to the top of the wall, would most likely not have been the same in stadiums, theaters and arenas we see today (DuTemple 26).  Basing their architecture on these ancient buildings, modern architects prove that the Colosseum has persuaded many architects worldwide to build what is now known as “stadium seating”.  Additionally, the columns seen on many of ancient Rome’s well known structures, such as the Colosseum, are noticed on significant buildings, such as most official government buildings, today.  To conclude, without the Colosseum, the ancient Roman world would have been without one of its greatest architectural feats, as well as, the modern world without many significant buildings the Colosseum had influenced.

The Pantheon
The Pantheon, or “the most famous, the most magnificent, the best preserved, the one [the building] with the biggest span”, quoted from Mark Wilson Jones’ Principles of Roman Architecture (177), was one of Rome’s most prized temples.  This eminent temple for the gods was authored to be built by Hadrian, a Roman emperor, and then rebuilt again between 118 and 125 A.D. (Gabucci 56).  Many believe that the columns of the ancient buildings are the only thing that sets the buildings of today apart from the ancient buildings; Gabucci further explains how this assertion is false through additional aspects of the Pantheon:
The interior of the Pantheon’s dome; the dome was made of a single cement cast above an immense wooden structure.  With a diameter of over forty three meters, it is the largest masonry dome ever created.  The interior is decorated with five levels of concentric frames. (56)

In other words, the dome is another iconic feature of the Pantheon, although both the dome and columns are well-known, in the Pantheon, there is another not so famous feature located inside.  This feature is a circular opening in the ceiling; this is not seen in many modern buildings, however, it did set the Pantheon apart from other ancient temples seen in Rome.  William Lloyd MacDonald explains in The Pantheon: Design, Meaning, and Progeny, that the opening symbolizes the unity and continuity of the Roman Empire because it is in the form of a circle which has no ends (88).  It is established that the Romans were very symbolic people who put this characteristic into their architecture.
The question is: why was this opening made in the ceiling of the Pantheon?  MacDonald believes that the opening in the ceiling was a way for individuals inside the Pantheon to connect with the gods (88).  Because the Pantheon was a temple for the gods, individuals would enter to pray and adore their gods.  Today, this can be seen as similar to a modern day church because of any individual’s ability, ranging from poor to wealthy, to enter freely to pray.  When a Roman entered, they had the chance to look up at their gods through the gap in the ceiling, as if they were truly speaking to them, forming a connection with their gods.  This is similar to the rituals of the Roman Catholic culture because they have the opportunity to look at images of a crucifix.  Providing a marvelous temple, the Pantheon with its many architectural differences, was, and will always be, a significant building of the time.

Introducing many different new aspects of architecture into the world, the Pantheon continues to influence modern structures.  MacDonald states, “the far-reaching influences of the Pantheon upon subsequent architecture is undeniable, and is documented both design and certain aspects of meaning; scholars and architects have worked a good deal on these problems” (11).  Likewise, to this day, architects cannot uncover the meanings of the Pantheon, on top of, its impact on other buildings.  Because of the innovative features it has presented, the Pantheon’s dome shaped ceiling gave way too many of the same in the modern world.  For instance, the circular gap in the ceiling of the Pantheon, did not have the biggest impact on modern architecture, most likely because of weather conditions, but, it has affected many constructions in that circles can be seen woven into many modern buildings.  This is different in the case of the United States Capitol Building, because of its dome shape, an influence of the Pantheon, and many other ancient structures. 

Conclusion
In the end, it is understood that because of ancient buildings, architecture of the modern world is altered from what it would have been without them.  The Colosseum’s stadium-like formation and the Pantheon’s dome-shaped ceiling adequately prove this point.  Inspiring multitudes of buildings, the Colosseum and the Pantheon are known as two of the utmost structures of ancient Rome.  Just think:  Next time you look at a skyscraper, what ancient wonder might you see?