Apollodorus of Damascus

Apollodorus of Damascus was a Greek architect and engineer from Roman Syria, who flourished during the 2nd century AD. As an engineer he authored several technical treatises, and his massive architectural output gained him immense popularity during his time. He is one of the few architects whose name survives from antiquity, and is credited with introducing several Eastern innovations to the Roman Imperial style, such as making the dome a standard. He was born in Damascus, Roman Syria. Sources refer to him as ethnically Nabatean, although other sources refer to him as Greek. Little is known of his early life, but he started his career as a military engineer before meeting future emperor Trajan in Damascus, then being summoned to Rome by him when he was a consul in 91 AD, after his twentieth birthday, and later accompanying him during the Second Dacian War in 105 AD. Apollodorus was Trajan's favored architect and engineer. He designed and oversaw the construction of the Forum, Markets, Temple of Trajan, and Trajan's Column (the first monument of its kind), and the Stadium of Domitian within the city of Rome. Outside the capital, Apollodorus built bridges across the Danube and the Tagus in Spain and designed the triumphal arches of Trajan at Benevento and Ancona. He is the author of Siege Engines, dedicated to an unnamed emperor, likely Trajan. He was known for his practical and robust designs. It was likely due to his influence that domes became a standard element in Roman architecture. Cassius Dio reports that Apollodorus offended Hadrian by dismissing and ridiculing the emperor's forays into architecture, which led to his banishment and death (although doubts have been raised concerning the veracity of Dio's claim).