The Domus Aurea and the Roman Architectural Revolution

Nero’s palace, the Domus Aurea (Golden House), is the most influential known building in the history of Roman architecture. It has been incompletely studied and poorly understood ever since its most important sections were excavated in the 1930s. In this book, Larry Ball provides systematic investigation of the Domus Aurea, including a comprehensive analysis of the masonry, the design, and the abundant ancient literary evidence. Highlighting the revolutionary innovations of the Domus Aurea, Ball also outlines their wide-ranging implications for the later development of Roman concrete architecture.

• Detailed plans of Domus Aurea: elevations, perspective drawings, schematic diagrams, photos • Detailed catalog of the masonry evidence and key design issues, arranged both topographically and chronologically • Three interpretive essays putting the new information from the Domus Aurea to use

1. An introduction to the esquiline wing of Nero’s Domus Aurea; 2. Distantly pre-Neronian phases; 3. The pentagonal court; 4. The west block in Neronian phases 1 and 2; 5. The east block in Neronian phase 2; 6. Synthesis: three interpretive essays.

\'Deeply expert and boundlessly enthusiastic … will intrique and challenge a reader who is already familiar with Roman architecture … It will appeal to the enthusiastic teacher of the subject of A-level or above … This is an essential resource, whether for reference or straightforward study … a persuasive and forceful method of argument … I found B\'s methods of argument extremely persuasive and interesting. He models a method which works well here and can be adopted and used by the reader too.\' The Journal of Classics Teaching