Full text: Vitruvius: The architecture of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, in ten books

the custom of the Greeks, giving it the name aßérov. If 
therefore, kings of such great power did not despise brick 
buildings, those who, from their great revenue and spoils 
in war, can afford the expence not only of squared and 
rough stone, but even of marble buildings, must not 
despise brick structures when well executed. I shall 
now explain why this species of walls is not permitted in 
the city of Rome, and also why such walls ought not to 
be permitted. The public laws forbid a greater thick- 
ness than one foot and a half to be given to walls that 
abut on a public way, and the other walls, to prevent 
loss of room, are not built thicker. Now brick walls, 
unless of the thickness of two or three bricks, at all 
events of at least one foot and a half, are not fit to carry 
more than one floor, so that from the great population of 
the city innumerable houses would be required. Since, 
therefore, the area it occupies would not in such case con¬ 
tain the number to be accommodated, it became abso¬ 
lutely necessary to gain in height that which could not be 
obtained on the plan. Thus by means of stone piers or 
walls of burnt bricks or unsquared stones, which were 
tied together by the timbers of the several floors, they 
obtained in the upper story excellent dining rooms. The 
Roman people by thus multiplying the number of stories 
in their houses are commodiously lodged. Having ex¬ 
plained why, on account of the narrowness of the streets 
in Rome, walls of brick are not allowed in the city, Ishall 
now give instructions for their use out of the city when 
required, to the end that they may be durable. On the 
top of a wall immediately under the roof, there should be a 
course of burnt bricks, about one foot and a half in height, 
and projecting over the walls like the corona of a cornice;
	        
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