The style usually called Roman architecture differs
considerably from Grecian, both in general aspect and in
the details; it also embraces two additional orders, the



Soman arrijttectttre, 227

Tuscan and Composite, which were unknown to the
Greeks. The mouldings are rounder and often more
prominent; the enrichments both in design and exe-
cution are bolder, and are frequently used in greater
profusion, while figures are comparatively seldom intro-
duced ; the Entablatures in many cases are broken over
the columns; the pediments are steeper, and the shafts
of the columns, instead of diminishing in a straight
line from the base to the capital, are very often slightly
curved. The arch also, which appears to have been un-
known to the Greeks, was brought into general use by the
Romans, and greatly affected the character of their archi-
tecture ; at its first introduction it was made subordinate
to the columns and entablature, but it soon came to be re-
garded as a more important principle, and was adopted
as one of the leading features. In general appearance
Roman architecture is less chaste and simple than the
Grecian, but it is bolder, richer, and in many respects
more imposing.
