Roman brick is a type of brick used in ancient Roman architecture and spread by the Romans to the lands they conquered, or a modern adaptation inspired by the ancient prototypes. Both types are characteristically longer and flatter than standard modern bricks.
Roman bricks in the Jewry Wall, Leicester. The 20th-century bracing arch in the background utilises modern bricks.
The Constantine Basilica in Trier, built in Roman brick
The Red Basilica at Pergamon, built using Roman brick
Wall of the Roman shore fort at Burgh Castle, Norfolk, with alternating courses of flint and brickwork
Ancient Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted the external language of classical ancient Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural style. The two styles are often considered one body of classical architecture. Roman architecture flourished in the Roman Republic and to an even greater extent under the Empire, when the great majority of surviving buildings were constructed. It used new materials, particularly Roman concrete, and newer technologies such as the arch and the dome to make buildings that were typically strong and well engineered. Large numbers remain in some form across the former empire, sometimes complete and still in use today.
Remains of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine. The building's northern aisle is all that remains.
The Colosseum, Rome, c. 70–80 AD
The Maison carrée in Nîmes (France), one of the best-preserved Roman temples, c. 2 AD
Aqueduct of Segovia (1st century AD), Segovia, Spain