Ancient History: Rome If You Want To, The Pantheon (EP2) - Drive Thru History

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Ahh, so many gods....and so little time. How do you worship and appease all of them? And WHERE? The answer to that question leads us up to the massive bronze doors of Rome's oldest building -- a temple whose design has been admired and studied for over 1800 years. The Pantheon.
I'm here at one of the most remarkable engineering marvels in all of ancient Rome, the Pantheon. But before we go any further, let's get a little terminology straight.
In Athens, there's a famous temple on top of the Acropolis, the very symbol of Athens, called "The Parthenon." But the building we're looking at today, perhaps the most well-preserved ancient building in the world is called "The Pantheon." Though they sound similar in name, their meanings are not similar at all. "Parthenos" is Greek for "virgin," hence the temple dedicated to the perpetual virgin goddess Athena was called the "Parthenon." The Pantheon, on the other hand, was named by combining the Greek word for "all" or "every" -- pan -- with the word for "god," theos. Therefore the "Pantheon" was originally dedicated to "every god".
The original builder of the pantheistic temple on this site was a guy named Marcus Agrippa who built the temple in honor of the great Julius Caesar and the patron gods of his family, along with the gods Venus and Mars -- and the deified Julius Caesar himself. THAT temple was destroyed by fire in 80 AD -- leaving presumably only the façade with the inscription of the original builder which says, "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, third Consul." The final form of the temple we see today was the work of Emperor Hadrian who had the Pantheon rebuilt in 120 AD making the Pantheon the only building from the Greco-Roman world which is completely intact and which has been in continuous use throughout its history.
Unlike so many ancient buildings in Rome, Athens, or any other ancient city, the Pantheon is not a reconstruction, and it's really not even a restoration. It's the real deal -- it's a Roman building that stands today just as it did after it was completed over 1800 years ago.
Although it looks pretty simple from the outside, it is among the most complex buildings that has survived to this day. In simple terms, it is a structure built around a perfectly circular interior chamber approximately 143 feet in diameter, topped by a dome that is the same 143 feet high. In other words, it is one giant room that could conceivably hold a perfect sphere or globe 143 feet across. At the apex of the dome is a circular opening, or oculus, that seems to defy the structural integrity -- but actually prevents the dome from collapsing. The outside height of the circular walls is 104 feet, and it is all set off by a covered entrance (or portico) consisting of 16 granite columns that support a gabled roof, all of which lead to massive, bronze double doors 25 feet high.
It is an aesthetic marvel that Michelangelo once said was of "angelic, and not human, design." It still elicits that kind of awe even today. It is an architectural and engineering masterpiece that's left experts scratching their heads for centuries.

[@chadcastagana9181]

5:29 It was an architectural design to build the Pantheon of progressively lighter materials to reduce the load on the supporting walls. Not to save time and money!

[@daveygivens735]

Ya, I don't think the Roman elite were really too concerned about time or money. It was a structural necessity.

[@andrenewcomb3708]

Those columns outside are so impressive and friendly. An old friend. Very old friend.

[@theprisonerofzenda2862]

🏛 It is the copy of the "Caesarium" in Alexandria which was built behind the two needles of Cleopatra.

[@paoloviti6156]

Interesting! When I was living in Rome I very often when to have my coffee in the square as I always enjoyed watching the pantheon with fascination! Easley one of my favorite construction so full of history!

[@bonnielesher1325]

Fantastic

[@Bnio]

I was there last week, and the ceiling of the dome looks much cleaner (downright new looking). It looks entirely like that one bit you can see at 6:25.

[@essaubeid721]

Very nice

[@victorjames7]

@ 6:16 - The dome roof was built up in stages (or imagine rings) with the largest ring made with the heaviest material then each ring becoming lighter in stages before reaching the domes Oculus.

[@snowblue2362]

I know this building...am glad i found it.

[@wian4946]

Unbelievable and respectful!

[@rose5150fl]

I love your drive through! Your service is fast and you never leave anything out of the bag.. causing me to drive back through angry... lol 😀

[@braschigiovanniangelo5559]

if you ask to Roman citzens where the ''Pain-thee-on'' is located, they probably do not understand you (pronounce mispelled): in Rome it sounds: ''P-AAA-nTe-on''.

[@fredisausthevenision1071]

It's time to wake up this gods.
And start a new roman empire!!!🇮🇹

[@marlowjonesjr2796]

how do i cite you. I am doing a paper on the pantheon and i want to give you credit for some of my information

[@shaxawankalar8278]

ة

[@catfuller91]

It would be wonderful if you would post sources for your information. Especially the original dedication of the temple build by Marcus Agrippa.

[@jonathansakramenta2470]

how beautiful

[@nickwood5356]

what do they do when it rains?

[@RSLpunk]

Ever watch something and think “that was made for an American audience”

[@phuryusstylesphuryustyles2273]

Triple what you can bench press??????

[@paulian4926]

How could that empty hole prevent rain or dust?

[@FrancescoBarberoIT]

It doesn’t, but the floor is ok and water flows through holes

[@aureliorodriguez5136]

Free wonders in the Internet.

[@drtrabalhista]

Tartaria tech, Giants build.

[@leonardodarosi3941]

Roma caput mundi

[@aldomni45]

Are there any videos of you bench pressing 700, 800 lbs. I would really like to see that LOL🏋️‍♂️

[@flemminglindblad9637]

Very fine video, but please use the metric system. This is what 96% of the world's population uses.

[@jasrenfro9856]

No

[@camtunguyen671]

graham norton

[@stanleygagner]

Apparently everything in the pantheon is about 5 cars in size 😆

[@tonyrurus1203]

#mosaic

[@SalvatoreEscoti]

Unfortunately they took all the wonderful decorations off it and striped this monument naked. By the way. His shoes are terribly ugly, no one is allowed to wear those ugly shoes in Rome!

[@mango2005]

The marble floor is the original one

[@brianmoriarity1764]

@@mango2005 Yes, and beautiful! However the portico was once lined underneath in bronze. Taken by Urban VIII Barberini at a later date.

[@theven.johnc.yanekd.d.3534]

@@mango2005 The original floor was replaced by Pope Pius IX in the latter half of the XVIII century.

[@alephtav4254]

There is no other Gods only one GOD..