Ancient buildings questions

The porous light stone was used in the concrete of the dome to reduce its weight. Scientists estimated that, if normal weight concrete had been used throughout, the stresses in the arch would have been some 80% greater. The same technique was for the ceilings of the Colosseum.

Although the Parthenon is architecturally a temple and is usually called so, it is not really one in the conventional sense of the word. It never hosted the cult of Athena Polias, patron of Athens. The Parthenon was actually used primarily as a treasury. For a time, it served as the treasury of the Delian League, which later became the Athenian Empire.

The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, having an average audience of some 65,000. It was similar in capacity to the largest of modern football stadiums.

It is widely accepted that Pantheon was dedicated to all the gods, as its name suggests (from the Ancient Greek Pan "all" + Theon "gods"). However, the concept of a temple dedicated to all the gods is highly unusual and thus questionable. Some sources suggest that the name "pantheon" was only a nickname for the building during the Roman times, and its original name and purpose was lost.