Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture

Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp

Topics

Acropolis Corinthian Order Corinthian Order Architecture Later Greek Architecture Civic Architecture City Planning

Ancient Greece: Acropolis

Athenian Acropolis

Located in modern day Athens Means City on the height Destroyed in 480 B.C. and rebuilt in 450 B.C. under the democratic statesman, Pericles
Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Acropolis

Athenian Acropolis

Site planning was very important

Every structure was built with the others in mind The goal was to create a larger single complex consisting of multiple structures The human participants in Greek architecture were of utmost importance

Acropolis was designed to control the movements of people from one location to another Grand avenues provided fluent movement through the complex

Ancient Greece: Acropolis

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Order

Corinthian Order

The third major Classical Greek order

Has been seen as an independent order since the time of the Roman historian, Vitruvius

Actually considered a variant of the Ionic Order by many modern architectural historians

Features

Richness of ornamentation and more freedom of expression by designers Had enormous influence on this style after he united Greece and built many new cities

Alexander the Great

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture

Temple of Athena Alea

Located at Tegea Considered an ideal Corinthian structure

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture

Bassae

The only Corinthian structure still standing

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture

Tholos

Means round temple The two most important tholos appear at Delphi and Epidaurus

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture

Temple of Zeus Olympius

Located in Athens c. 170 B.C. The first structure that bore a Corinthian reflection in mainstream society Dwarfed the Parthenon
Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Hellenistic Greece began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Several important structures were built during this time
Temple of Apollo at Didyma Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Altar of Zeus at Pergamum Sanctuary of Asclepius

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Temple of Apollo at Didyma

c. 300 B.C. Actually completed by the Romans Considered one of the most imaginative Greek shrines

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Built for the King Mausolus by his wife Featured a pyramid-like roof that many scholars believe was influenced by the pyramids of Egypt

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Altar of Zeus at Pergamon

Featured an Ionic like theme Has been partly reconstructed in the State Museum, Berlin, Germany Features a mural along its base depicting a battle of the Gods and the Titans

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Sanctuary of Asclepius on the Island of Kos

Tribute to the god of medicine Sickly people came to be healed by the waters of a natural spring located within the structure Had a much grander scale than the Altar of Zeus Documented a profound change in Greek architecture from past structures

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Agora
Located in Athens near the Acropolis An ancient mall

Combination marketplace and civic center Stoa of Zeus

Key structures

One of Socrates favorite meeting places

Stoa of Attalus II

Grandest stoa in the Agora Believed to have housed one of the three branches of Greek government

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Theatre at Epidaurus

The most famous Greek theatre Recognized for its amazing acoustics

A pin dropped at the center of the theatre can be heard in the farthest seats

Set against a beautiful Greek landscape

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Stadiums

Most famous are located in Olympia and Athens Used for athletic events

A key part of Greek life Served as the locations for the Greek Olympics

Photo: www.ancient-greece.org

Ancient Greece: City Planning

Greek architecture was mostly focused on public buildings

They were not as concerned with the afterlife and private palaces such as the Egyptians

City planning was based upon the inhabitants and the terrain

Ancient Greece: City Planning

Hippodamus
Famous Greek intellectual who devised a five step plan to city planning Five step plan

City was cut by several main streets crossing at right angles The resulting rectangles were subdivided into blocks The blocks were further subdivided into house plots Public buildings were placed accordingly to avoid congestion The plan of the city was based on the particular terrain

Ancient Greece: City Planning

Examples of planned Greek cities

Miletus

The first planned Greek city

Priene
Prominent Hippodamian scheme Constructed on a hillside Prime example of a Greek urban scheme

Ancient Greece: City Planning

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: City Planning

Photo: Sullivan

References

Sullivan, Mary; http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture

Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture

Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp