Why could Roman buildings create larger interior spaces than Greek temples?

Roman buildings were able to create significantly larger and more open interior spaces than Greek temples primarily due to differences in construction materials and structural systems.

Greek architecture relied on the post-and-lintel system, which uses vertical columns to support horizontal beams. Because stone is weak in tensile strength, these horizontal lintels could only span short distances, necessitating a dense forest of columns that cluttered interior spaces.123

In contrast, Roman architects revolutionized construction through the use of concrete. This material allowed them to move beyond the limitations of stone frames by utilizing arches, vaults, and domes. These forms could span vast areas without the need for internal support columns, creating expansive, uncluttered interiors like those seen in the Pantheon. By distributing structural loads more efficiently, Roman engineering enabled the creation of monumental public spaces that were impossible to achieve with the traditional Greek post-and-beam method.41