Apparecchi murari in opus africanum a Catania. Spunti e prospettive di studio della tecnica a telaio a partire dal caso dell’Anfiteatro romano

Abstract

In the roman buildings of Catania, there are an interesting construction technique, called opus
africanum, characterized by a distinctive element, called “frame”, that is a vertical composition of lithic blocks,
designed to define a load-bearing, dissipator, and convoy armor loads, incorporated and repeated inside the
wall panels. This element is mainly attested and cited about two emblematic roman Catania monuments: the
Theater and the Amphitheater, also arousing interest for its being, probably, an anti-seismic solution associated
with a phase of the city that would have seen a restoration with expedients probably following seismic
events.
However, in detail the structure and composition of the frame, as well as its possible variations, have never
been subjected to detailed analysis. Architectural Archeology studies, carried out on the Amphitheater, seem
to denounce the variations and compositional peculiarities of this element in association with different wall
textures, deserving of further study as a potential motive for expanding knowledge on local construction
techniques (starting a series never carried out in an extended and general sense), but also - and above all - to
get to know the culture and construction traditions that could reside behind this expedient.

Keywords: Archeology of Architecture, masonry techniques, classification, culture material, construction traditions,
archeosismology.