10 Facts about Roman Mosaics

Facts about Roman Mosaics tell us the interesting information about a mosaic produced during the Roman Era. The public and private buildings in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire featured the mosaics. They were considered as the luxurious items to have in Rome. The design and style of Roman Mosaics were highly affected by the Greek styles. In Alexander Mosaic, you can spot the picture of Alexander the Great. Since the Roman mosaic was highly influenced by the Greek, there is no need to wonder that the figures from the Greek mythology and history were found on the Roman mosaics. Let us get other interesting facts about Roman mosaic below.

Facts about Roman Mosaics 1: the surviving examples

If you are interested to see the beauty of Roman Mosaics, which survive until this present day, you can go to Herculaneum and Pompeii. Both feature the large amount of Roman Mosaics.

Facts about Roman Mosaics 2: the earliest examples

If you go to Delos, Greece, you can spot the earliest Roman mosaic flooring traced back in the second century BC. It was made in the late Republican period.

Facts about Roman Mosaics

Facts about Roman Mosaics 3: pebble mosaics

Olynthus in Greece’s Chalcidice featured the earliest known pebble mosaics. They were used for the chip pavement. They were traced in the fifth and fourth centuries BC. The ones found at the capital of Macedon were related during the fourth century BC.

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Facts about Roman Mosaics 4: Pompeii

Pompeii features the earliest mosaics of Rome in the form of wall painting. It depicted the Hellenistic Greek style created in the end of the second century and beginning of the first century BC.

Facts about Roman Mosaics 5: Villa Romana del Casale

Villa Romana del Casale also had the Roman mosaics dated back in the Late Imperial era, which showed the peak of mosaic art in the state. The local palace complex had the mosaic decoration, which depicted the fighting and animal hunting scenes. The mosaic spanned on the surface area of 300 meter square or 3,200 sq ft.

Roman Mosaics Image

Facts about Roman Mosaics 6: tesserae

Tesserae are an important term to notice when you study about Roman mosaics. It is defined as the geometrical blocks on the Roman mosaics.

Facts about Roman Mosaics 7: the function of tesserae

Tesserae are crucial in the Roman mosaics because the people could create patterns, motifs, figures and shapes from the tesserae.

Facts about Roman Mosaics 8: materials to create tesserae

The natural stone from the local area was used to create tesserae. It will be mixed with cut of tiles, pottery and brick. There were a number of colors of tesserae. They were white, yellow, blue, red and black tones.