ANCIENT GREEK

ARCHITECTURE
GEOLOGY AND
GEOGRAPHY
 The ancient civilization of Greece was located in southeastern
Europe along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The geography of
the region helped to shape the government and culture of the Ancient
Greeks. Geographical formations including mountains, seas, and
islands formed natural barriers between the Greek city-states and
forced the Greeks to settle along the coast.
AEGEAN SEA
 The region of the Mediterranean where the Greeks first settled is
called Aegean Sea. Greek city-states formed all along the Aegean
coastline and on the many islands in the Aegean Sea. The people of
Greece used the Aegean to travel from city to city. The Aegean also
provided fish for the people to eat.
Mountains
 The land of Greece is full of mountains. Around 80 percent of
the Greek mainland is mountainous. This made it difficult to make
long journeys by land. The mountains also formed natural barriers
between the major city-states. The tallest mountain in Greece is
Mount Olympus. The Ancient Greeks believed that their gods (the
Twelve Olympians) lived at the top of Mount Olympus.
Islands
 The Aegean Sea is home to over 1000 islands. The Greeks settled
on many of these islands including Crete (the largest of the islands),
Rhodes, Chios and Delos.
Major Cities
 The Ancient Greeks spoke the same language and had similar cultures. They were
not one largely empire, however, but were divided into a number of powerful city-
states such as Athens, Sparta and Thebes.
 According to the Greek Historian Herodotus, the Greece he knew was never a
united nation with fixed geographical borders, rather it was a collection of city-states.
 These city-states were like a large family of quarrelsome brothers, almost always
fighting with each other, but occasionally, banding together to battle against outsiders
when they felt like doing so. Afterwards they were as likely as not to turn on each other
again.
 The Greeks called their land Hellas and themselves Hellenes
 It was the Romans who called them Greeks-(Graeci) and that is the name by which we
know them.
 The Greeks have often been described as “independent-minded” and there seems no
doubt that geography played a major role in shaping that character. It was the mountains
and the sea that molded Greece and Greeks into what they were.
 No matter where people settled in Greece, they were rarely more than 50 miles from
the sea.
 The Philosopher Plato noted that the Greeks lived around the sea “like frogs around a
pond”
CLIMATE
 CLIMATE

 The climate and environment of Ancient Greece did play a part in

how Architecture evolved. Greece is located in the Mediterranean, and
includes many islands and coastal regions. The Mediterranean Sea creates
hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The terrain of Greece is varied,
having mountains, forests, rocky cliffs, beaches and dry regions. The
materials used for the temples either came from the environment or from
trade. Due to the mediocre soil but accessible sea, the Greeks were
powerful at sea, making trade easy.
 CLIMATE

 The climate in Ancient Greece generally featured hot summers and mild winters.
Because it was so hot, most people wore lightweight clothing throughout most of
the year. They would put on a cloak or wrap during the colder days of the winter
months.
 During the summer months the sea tended to be peaceful. Being an inland body
of water the Mediterranean Sea has almost no tides- less than a meter between high
and low tides. It has little plankton (that’s why its waters are so clear), which means
that it doesn’t support the extent and variety of sea life seen elsewhere but certainly
enough to be both an important and welcome source of food.
 HISTORY

 Government

 Education

 Religion

 Womens’ Rights

 Economics
Government
 Ancient Greece was governed by men

 It was first ruled by a king- this type of government is known as monarchy

 Because of its mountainous terrain, Greece was divided into multiple city-states

 Ancient Greece then became an Oligarchy being ruled by wealthy merchants

Education
 Greek women and slaves did not attend school

 Boys start school at age 6-7

 Spartan boys were taught military style while Athen boys were
trained in the arts to prepare for peace or war
Religion
 Greece was polytheistic ( they believe in more than one god) such as:
Apollo Poseidon
Hermes Hera
Aphrodite Demeter
Ares Artemis
Hades Hephaistos
Dionysos Athena
 The religion and beliefs of the Ancient Greeks were the sole reason for
the creation of the orders, as they were used specifically for the temples, each
representing their respective god, where worship would occur.
 The materials used to create these temples also stemmed from religion
and values. Temples were supposed to house an all powerful deity, and,
therefore, needed to be strong and resilient. Early eighth century BCE
temples were made of wood, however later, as methods of cutting stone were
introduced, stone quickly became the preference. Stone, such as marble, was
also abundant in the physical environment.
 Religion was important to the ancient Greeks because they believed that it
would make their lives better while they were living. They also believed the gods
would take care of them when they died.
 The Ancient Greeks believed in many different gods and goddesses. The
Greeks believed that these gods and goddesses controlled everything in their lives
and the environment. There was a god for every aspect of their lives. It was
important to please the gods; happy gods helped you, but unhappy gods punished
you. People had special places in their homes where they could pray to the gods.
There were also public shrines in all sorts of places where people could pray and
leave presents.
More Interesting Facts:
 Many festivals were held in honor of the gods.
 The Greeks built temples to be the gods and goddesses homes. The temples
showed how wealthy and powerful the city was. Rich cities, like Athens, built
temples of the best stone, and decorated them with paintings, statues and carvings.
 People prayed and gave offerings to gods to grant their wishes; for a good
harvest, a good journey, for their children to become beautiful etc
 The Greek believed that gods and goddesses had human qualities.
Womens’ Rights
 Some festivals were open for the women

 Women were included in Parathanaea in the porcession

 Women could not achieve political right

Economics
 The great source of income for Greece is their rich soil

 Merchants sold their fish, olive oil and vegetation.

 Women sold ribbon and perfume

ANCIENT GREEK SOCIAL
HIERARCHY
 ATHENS – THE UPPER
CLASS
 The topmost and superior class in the Ancient Greek Social Hierarchy was this
Upper Class. The people belonging to this class had the ultimate power and status in
society. In order to enjoy the benefits and privileges granted to the people of the
upper strata of the society, one had to be a citizen of Athens and it could only be
acquired on the basis of heredity. The people of the upper class exhibited a good
moral character, brilliant artistic sense, and were highly social.
 The upper class people managed all the government and administrative work, the
philosophical and literary work, as well as the military department. They bought
slaves to have their household chores done. These slaves were tortured, flogged and
ill treated by their masters.
 METICS – THE MIDDLE
CLASS

 The next strata of the ancient Greek society was the Middle Class. This class
of people were not the original citizens of Athens but were foreigners who had
come to Greece to settle down. The people of the Middle Class were free men
and not bonded laborers like the slaves, but they were denied the privileges
granted to the Upper Class. Their main occupation was commercial trade and
business related activities.
 FREEDMEN – THE LOWER
CLASS

 This class of the society comprised of the free men who were once
slaves or bonded laborers. They now belonged to the lower class and
enjoyed the basic human rights. They did not enjoy the privileges granted
to the Upper Class people, but their plight was certainly better than the
slaves. They were not granted the citizenship of Athens during their
lifetime, no matter how much they earned.
 THE SLAVES

 The lowest rung of the society was occupied by the slaves. Their
condition in the Greek society was the worst compared to all the other
three classes of people. These slaves were either bought with money,
rescued from war or were criminals. The majority of the slaves were non
Greeks who were even denied the basic human rights. They were treated
miserably by their masters and were expected to be at the beck and call of
their masters. They were supposed to pay a huge ransom to buy their
freedom from their masters.
ANCIENT GREEK
ARCHITECTURE
 ANCIENT GREEK
ARCHITECTURE

 Some of the finest and well known buildings of the Ancient World
came from Greece. The philosophy of Greek Architecture went on to
greatly influence architects in the roman and became the base of
classical architecture, which would dominate the western world even
in today’s times.
 ANCIENT GREEK
ARCHITECTURE

 Ancient Greek Architecture has inspired architecture all over the western world
and all through out history. Starting with Anent Rome where two new orders were
created, which were spin offs of the original greek ones. They built on the Greek
approach and created structures such as the arch. Some Roman building that
incorporated the Greek orders include the Colosseum and the Roman Temple
located in Nimes, France.
 The purpose of the Ancient Greek Architecture style was to adequately
represent the power and mightiness of the gods through temples of worship.
 ANCIENT GREEK
ARCHITECTURE
 The Ancient Greeks had a unique style of architecture that is still
copied today in government buildings and major monuments
throughout the world. Greek Architecture is known for tall columns,
intricate detail, symmetry, harmony and balance. The Greeks built all
sorts of buildings. The main examples of Greek Architecture that
survive today are the large temples that they built to their gods.
TERMINOLOGIES, NAMES
AND STRUCTURES
 ABACUS

 Consists of a wooden frame, rods, and beads. Each rod represents

a different place value- ones, tens, hundreds, thousands and so on.

 The word abacus is Latin. It is taken from the Greek word abax,
which means “flat surface”.
TRIGLYPH
 The triglyphs are a pattern of 3 vertical lines
between the metopes. Triglyphs are an aesthetic
feature of Doric temples that do not serve any
function besides design. The triglyph is meant to
represent the end of a wooden beam, which would
have supported the weight of the roof in pre-historic
Greek buildings. These wooden beams had three
notches on the ends to create dramatic shadows, and
the Greeks preserved this feature as a tribute to their
own architectural history and development.
METOPE

 Is a rectangular architectural element that

fills the space between two triglyphs in a
Doric frieze, which is a decorative band of
alternating triglyphs and metopes above
the architrave of a building of the Doric
Order. Sometimes (as on the temple from
Agrigento) the metopes are plain.
 The metopes carry carved mythological
scenes. The center metope here
shows Perseus killing Medusa
VOLUTE

 A volute is a spiral, scroll-like

ornament that forms the basis of the
Ionic order, found in the capital of the
Ionic column. It was later incorporated
into Corinthian order and Composite
column capitals.
TEMPLE OF HERA,
OLYMPIA
The ancient Archaic Greek temple, dedicated to the queen of
the Greek goddesses, Hera, was built in 590 BC. The temple
was initially believed to have been constructed from wood
which was later replaced by stone. One of the oldest temples
in Greece, it was solely dedicated to Hera with another
temple to Zeus built nearby. Built following the aesthetics of
Doric architecture, the temple had 16 columns. The beautiful
House of Hera was destroyed by an earthquake in the fourth
century AD. During the excavation process on the site of the
temple, a marble head of Hera was discovered along with a
statue of Hermes by the sculptor Praxiteles. The statue now
is housed in the archaeological museum of Olympia.
TEMPLE OF HERA, MON
REPOS
 Temple in Corfu, Greece, built
around 610 BC in the ancient city
of Korkyra (or Corcyra), in what is
known today as Palaiopolis, and lies
within the ground of the Mon
Repos estate.
 The sanctuary of Hera at Mon
Repos is considered a major temple,
and one of the earliest examples
of archaic Greek architecture.
T E M P L E O F H E P H A E S T U S, AG O R A /
H E P H A I S T I O N, AT H E N S
A work of Doric and Classical architecture, the
Temple of Hephaestus is a well-preserved ancient
Greek temple. Surviving the ravages of time, it
stands just as it was built in 415 BC. Constructed
two years before the Parthenon, the temple
overlooks the city of Agora. It was dedicated to the
god of craftsmanship, metal-working, and fire,
Hephaestus, and was also called Theseum and
served as a shrine dedicated to the hero Theseus.
The building is made of both Parian and Pentelic
marble. The dimensions of the temple from north
to south are 13.708m and east to west, 31.776m. It
has six columns lying from east to west (the shorter
side) and 13 columns from north to south (the
longer side). The four columns at the corners are
counted twice.
ENTASIS

 Entasis is the application of a convex curve to

a surface for aesthetic purposes. Its best-known
use is in certain orders of Classical columns that
curve slightly as their diameter is decreased from
the bottom upward. Entasis was used by
the Greeks while building monuments to correct
optical illusions. Entasis is Greek for swelling or
tension and relates to a convex curve incorporated
into upright structures like columns and spires.
NAOS
Naos or Cella is the body of a temple (as
distinct from the portico) in which the image of
the deity is housed. In early Greek and
Roman architecture it was a simple room, usually
rectangular, with the entrance at one end and
with the side walls often being extended to form
a porch. In larger temples, where the cella is
open to the sky, a small temple was sometimes
placed within.
PROANOS

 Is the inner area of the portico

of a Greek or Roman temple,
situated between the portico's
colonnade or walls and the
entrance to the cella, or shrine.
THREE CLASSICAL ORDERS
 DORIC ORDER
 The oldest and simplest order of Greek Classical Orders
 Arose during the seventh century BC
 They had no decoration at the base and a simple capital at the top
 Doric columns were wider on the bottom than at the top
 It was employed in Greek buildings in honor of male deities
 According to Vitruvius, Doric exemplifies proportion, strength and grace of the masculine body,
denoting balance, and for him, it should be used in churches dedicated to the most extroverted saints (St.
Paul, St. Peter or St. George
 This style was most commonly used in mainland Greece.
 The earliest well-preserved example of Doric Architecture is the Temple of Hera at Olympia
 IONIC ORDER
 It was developed in Ionia during the mid-sixth century BCE
 Is notable for its graceful proportions, giving a more slender and elegant profile
than the Doric order
 Ionic columns were thinner than the Doric and had a base at the bottom
 The capital at the top was decorated with scrolls on each side
 According to Vitruvius, Ionic order alludes to the lines of the female body,
characterized by “feminine slenderness”. For him, they should be used in temples
dedicated to ‘quiet saints”
 This style was found in eastern Greece and the islands.
 CORINTHIAN ORDER

 Most elegant of the five orders

 Invented in Athens in the fifth century BCE.
 The capital was decorated with scrolls and the leaves of the acanthus plant
 Similar to the Ionic but is more decorative in its capital, stylized with acanthus
and fern leaves.
 According to Vitruvius, it presents a series of details and designs highly thought
out and elaborated to imitate “thin figure of a girl”
 The Romans favored the Corinthian order due to its slender properties
 TUSCAN ORDER
 A Roman adaptation or a further simplified version of the Doric order

 It presents formal simplicity and therefore also structural simplicity

 For Vitruvius, it is suitable for fortifications and prisons

 Similar in proportion and profile to the Roman Doric but is much

plainer

 In this order, the shaft is smooth, aiming at simplification

TUSCAN
 COMPOSITE ORDER

 a combination of Corinthian and Ionic orders.

 This order is the most sophisticated of the five architectural orders

 Its columns are tall and slender, its capitals have bountiful
acanthus leaves with big scrolls and its entablature sports an
ostentatiously sculpted frieze and cornice.
COMPOSITE
PALACE OF KNOSSOS
(CRETE)
 One such example of astounding Minoan architecture

 It is located next to the Kairatos River, providing it with a

constant water supply

 Built in 1700 BCE

 The palace was built as a cell for a mighty and fearsome minotaur,
a mythological creature comprised of a bull and human combined.

 The materials that is mainly comprised of are rubble, red brick

and white limestone

 It contained a large city, with an estimated population of around

100,000 people
 PALACE OF KNOSSOS
(CRETE)
 The place also boasted many libraries, schools, stores, storage facilities
and fishing areas
 The people raised animals such as cattle and sheep
 The surrounding area that it resided in was also very fertilr, allowing
for plentiful growth of olives and grape vines
 It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1700 BC, but was rebuilt rapidly.
However, it was destroyed again in 1400 BC due to the eruption of the
Santorini volcano
PARTS OF GREEK
TEMPLE
STYLOBATE
 COLUMN

 A column is a cylindrical support that is usually a structural

element. Columns used in architecture support a section of an
entablature, which is the upper horizontal part of a classical building.
However, there are some free-standing columns that are used for
decorative purposes.
PARTS OF COLUMN
BASE
 The base is the lowest part or division of a column. Egyptian and Greek
Doric columns were typically placed directly on the floor without a base.
SHAFT
 The shaft is long and narrow and is the main support of a column. It is found
between the capital and the base and is either tapered so that it is thicker near the
bottom and thinner as it reaches the top. The shaft of a column can also be fluted or
un-fluted.
CAPITAL
 The capital is found at the top of the shaft and is the decorative element of the
column. It divides the impost block, also called the abacus, from the shaft. Columns are
identifiable by their capital which are either plain, have acanthus, olive or laurel leaves or
scrolls. Some capitals also consist of separate parts.
ENTABLATURE
 Assemblage of horizontal moldings and bands supported by
and located immediately above the columns of Classical buildings or
similar structural supports in non- Classical buildings.

Three Parts of Entablature

 Architrave- is the supporting element, and the lowest of the
three main parts of an entablature
 Frieze- is the plain or decorated horizontal unmolded strip
located between the cornice and the architrave
 Cornice- is the upper part of an entablature; a decorative
molded projection at the top of a wall or window.
 PEDIMENT

 In classical architecture, the low-pitched gable, or triangular area

formed by the two slopes of the low-pitched roof of a temple,
framed by the horizontal and raking cornices and sometimes filled
with sculpture.
 Sloping cornice
 Tympanum-a tympanum (plural, tympana; from Latin
and Greek words meaning "drum") is the semi-circular or
triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, door or
window, which is bounded by a lintel and an arch.[1] It
often contains sculpture or other imagery or
ornaments.[2] Most architectural styles include this element.

 Antifixae or acroterions
 PROSTYLE

 Prostyle is an architectural term denoting a row of columns in

front of a building, as in a portico. The term is often used as an
adjective when referring to the portico of a classical building which
projects from the main structure
 AMPHIPROSTYLE

 In classical architecture, amphiprostyle denotes a temple with a

portico both at the front and the rear. The number of columns rarely
exceeded four in the front and four in the rear. The best-known
example is the tetrastyle small Temple of Athena Nike at Athens.
 PERIPTERAL TEMPLE

 A peripteros (a peripteral building, Greek: is a type of ancient

Greek or Roman temple surrounded by a portico with columns. It is
surrounded by a colonnade (pteron) on all four sides of the cella
(naos), creating a four-sided arcade (peristasis, or peristyle).
TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS,
CORFU
 The temple was built in the ancient city of Korkyra
on Corfu which is in the suburbs of the modern-day
city of Garitsa.
It was the first to be constructed from stone in the
Doric style. Built in 580 BC, the temple measured 49m
by 23.46m and was the biggest temple of its time.
 From examples found in the temple ruins, it can be
seen that the metope of the temple was decorated
with carvings of Achilles and Memnon.
 Its magnificence and authenticity have made it a
landmark in ancient Greek architecture.
The temple is also counted among the 150
masterpieces of Western architecture.
DIPTERAL TEMPLE

 A temple planned upon

the dipteral arrangement, in which
the inner rank of columns
surrounding the cella is wanting.
 ACROPOLIS

 An 'acropolis' is any citadel or complex built on a high hill. The

name derives from the Greek akro, high or extreme/extremity or
edge, and polis, city, translated as 'high city', 'city on the edge' or 'city
in the air', the most famous being the Acropolis of Athens, Greee,
built in the 5th century BCE. Though the word is Greek in origin, it
has come to designate any such structure built on a high elevation
anywhere in the world.
 ACROPOLIS
Propylaea
Propylaea is the name given to monumental gates or
entranceways to a specific space, usually to a temple or religious
complex and as such they acted as a symbolic partition between
the secular and religious parts of a city. Less complex examples
with a single entrance are known as a propylon. Propylaea were
a feature of Minoan architecture in 17th century
BCE Crete (e.g. at Ayia Triada) and Mycenaean architecture in
the 14th century BCE (e.g. at Tiryns). In Classical Greece a
monumental Propylon provided the entrance to the sanctuary
at Olympia but the most famous and best preserved example of
this type of structure is the magnificent Propylaea of
the acropolis of Athens.
 ACROPOLIS
Temple of Athena Nike
 The southwest of the Acropolis plateau, right next to the
Propylaia, has been an important location of a sanctuary dating
back to the Mycenaean era. It is a protruding tall mass of rock,
strategically located in a way that protects the south flank of the
most vulnerable access point and gate to the citadel.
 Early in its history it was a place of worship for deities
associated with wars, perhaps Bronze Age “Nike” gods or
goddesses, which with time fused with the cult of Athena Nike
of later centuries. Excavations have revealed that on this
location an open pit existed that Bronze Age Greeks used to
pour libations and to deposit primitive figurines of the deities
worshiped.
 ACROPOLIS
Erechtheum This temple was built between 421 and 406 BC by
the great architect Mnesicles. The temple got its
name from a shrine dedicated to the Greek hero
Erichthonius, who was mentioned in Homer’s Iliad
as a great king and ruler of Athens. It is believed
that he is buried nearby. Phidias, who also worked
on the Parthenon, was employed by Pericles as the
sculptor and mason for this great project.
The ancient temple is said to have replaced the
Peisistratid temple which was situated in Athena
Polis and was destroyed in 480 BC by the Persians.
The temple was located on a hill and was built from
the marble taken from Mt. Pentelikon and black
marble from Eleusis. It had carved doorways and
beautifully decorated columns.
 ACROPOLIS
Parthenon One of the most influential buildings in Greek
history
It stands on top of the citadel of the Acropolis.
 It was dedicated to the goddess of wisdom and
patron of the Athenians, Athena.
It was initially built as a celebration and thanks
to the gods for the Hellenic victory over the
Persians, but it also stands as an enduring symbol
of Athenian democracy, ancient Greece, and
Western civilization.
 It has served many roles over time, from a
church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the final
decade of the sixth century to a mosque after the
Ottoman conquest in the early 1460s.
CARYATID
 Caryatid, in classical architecture, draped female figure used instead of
a column as a support. In marble architecture they first appeared in pairs in
three small buildings (treasuries) at Delphi (550–530 BC), and their origin can
be traced back to mirror handles of nude figures carved from ivory
in Phoenicia and draped figures cast from bronze in archaic Greece. According
to a story related by the 1st-century-BC Roman architectural writer Vitruvius,
caryatids represented the women of Caryae, who were doomed to hard labour
because the town sided with the Persians in 480 BC during their second
invasion of Greece.

 Caryatids are sometimes called korai (“maidens”). Similar figures, bearing

baskets on their heads, are called canephores (from kanēphoroi, “basket
carriers”); they represent the maidens who carried sacred objects used at feasts
of the gods. The male counterparts of caryatids are referred to as atlantes
 HERM
 Herm, Greek herma, in Greek religion, sacred object of stone
connected with the cult of Hermes, the fertility god. According to some
scholars, Hermes’ name may be derived from the word herma (Greek:
“stone,” or “rock,” such as a boundary or landmark). With the development
of artistic taste and the conception of the gods as having human form, these
objects tended to be replaced either by statues or by pillars that were
generally square and tapering toward the bottom so as to suggest the human
figure. These were usually surmounted by the bearded head of Hermes
(hence the name) and had an erect phallus. They were used not only as cult
objects but also for a variety of other purposes, for example, as milestones
or boundary marks. They were regarded with respect, if not actually
worshipped. Herms also occur in Roman sculpture and may have heads of
the forest god Silvanus or the chief god, Jupiter Terminus.
CANEPHORAE

 CANEPHORAE basket-bearers," the title given of old to

Athenian maidens of noble family, annually chosen to carry on their
heads baskets with sacrificial implements and apparatus at the
Panathenaic and other festivals. The term (also in the
form Canephori) is applied in architecture to figures of either sex
carrying on their heads baskets, containing edibles or material for
sacrifices. The term might well be applied to the Caryatide figures of
the Erechtheum. Those represented in the Panathenaic frieze of the
Parthenon carry vases on their shoulders.
 ATLAS
 ATLAS in Greek mythology, the Titan Atlas was responsible for bearing the
weight of the heavens on his shoulders, a burden given to him as punishment
by Zeus. Father of many stars and a protagonist in one of Hercules’ famous
labours, Atlas was also known as a wise man and the founder of astronomy.
For Plato, he was the eponymous first king of Atlantis, and this giant of a god
also gave his name to a huge mountain range in northern Africa, the great
Atlantic Ocean and any large collection of maps.
 With a name perhaps conveying the meaning 'suffering' or ‘very enduring,’
Atlas was the son of the Titans Iapetus and Clymene (or Themis) and the elder
brother of Epimetheus, Menoetius, and Prometheus. Atlas was the father of
the nymph Calypso and the seven Pleiades. In a Theban version of events, Atlas
is also the grandfather of Niobe.
 CELLA

 Cella, Greek Naos, in Classical architecture, the body of a temple (as distinct
from the portico) in which the image of the deity is housed. In early Greek and
Roman architecture it was a simple room, usually rectangular, with the entrance at
one end and with the side walls often being extended to form a porch. In larger
temples, where the cella is open to the sky, a small temple was sometimes placed
within. In the Byzantine architectural tradition the naos was preserved as the area of
a centrally planned church, including the core and the sanctuary, where the liturgy is
performed.
TEMPLE OF CONCORDIA
 Erected around 430 B.C., it is 19,758 meters by 42,230, slightly
larger than a double square. It covers an area of 843,38 square meters
and has a height of 13,481 meters. The cella was preceded by a simple
antechamber (pronaos m. 5,110 by 7,650) with two columns and was
followed by a back porch (opistodomos m. 4,720 by 7,650), where the
treasure, votive gifts and the archives of the temple were kept.
 The elegant and airy columnade, according to classical models, has 6
columns by 13; every column, 6,75 metres high, consists of 4 drums and
has 20 sharp- edged flutes. The tbuilding was named by the historian
Fazello (1490- 1570), who found in the vicinities, a Latin inscription not
having any relationship with the building. In 597, it was converted into a
Christian basilica by the bishop Gregorio, He pulled down two pagan
idols in the temple; since one of them was called Raps, the Church was
later consecrated to St. Gregorio of the Rape (Turnips).
GREAT LATAR OF
PERGAMON

 The Pergamon Altar was built about 150 BC on the Acropolis or

the high point, of the ancient Greek city of Pergamon in Asia Minor.
This colossal Altar of Zeus at Pergamon, near modern-day Izmir,
Turkey, is a monumental work of Greek Hellenistic art. Built during
the reign of Greek King Eumenes II, the structure is over 35 metres
wide and 33 metres deep. The front stairway is almost 20 metres
wide. Like the Parthenon in Athens, this Zeus Altar constructed on a
terrace of the Acropolis overlooking the ancient city of Pergamon.
Unlike the Parthenon, it was not a temple but merely an altar, and
designed according to the Ionic order of Greek Architecture.
GOLDEN RECTANGLE
LION GATE
 The Lion Gate of Mycenae: The Lion Gate marks the entrance
to the fortified citadel of Mycenae. The entire gate is about 10 feet
wide and high and two lions under a triangle are inscribed on a stone
above the entrance gate. The lions in the inscription are believed to
have had heads of metal but these were plundered a long time ago.
Further, the lions are depicted as resting their feet on an altar and they
flank the sides of a pillar, which was probably a symbol of power.
 As you walk in through the gates, there is a small compartment
within the rock wall, inside the gate, which many believe was either a
guard post or meant to keep guard dogs. The Lion Gate has become
over the years the trademark of the entire archaeological site of
Mycenae. In the ancient times, there was a wooden door to shut the
entrance. The door opened inwards and it used to lock with a wooden
bar.
KOURO AND KORE
 Classical Greek statues depicting male and female bodies are
iconic, legendary and set the standards for numerous artists and
art movements to come. Preceding the Classical Era, was the
Archaic (7th-5th c. BCE) during which statues of young men
(Kouros) and women (Kore) were created, and are seen as the
first foray of Greek artists into exploring the human form in
stone. The statues of men and women are quite different from
the lifelike, naturalistic forms we are familiar with, but the
depictions during this time are an important window into the
development of Greek art and history.
 Archaic Greek statues depicting youths are referred to with modern designated terms:
Kouros (Kouroi plural) for the unbearded male youths and Kore (Korai plural) for young
maidens. Made of marble or limestone, the statues tend to be life size. Freestanding,
forward facing, these figures are youthful, but much more stiff, controlled and
unexpressive compared to later Greek sculpture. Idealization was a common theme in
Greek art, and we see it starts early in its formation. These ideal males are nude, youthful
and athletic. The women are clothed, modest and self-contained. Both sexes are portrayed
with the archaic smile – not as a means of emotion, but as a signifier of their
transcendence of emotion and rising above the normality of daily life.
MINOTAUR
 In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a monster with the body of a
man and the head and tail of a bull. The Minotaur was the offspring of the
Cretan Queen Pasiphae and a majestic bull. Due to the Minotaur's
monstrous form, King Minos ordered the craftsman, Daedalus, and his
son, Icarus, to build a huge maze known as the Labyrinth to house the
beast. The Minotaur remained in the Labyrinth receiving annual offerings
of youths and maidens to eat. He was eventually killed by the Athenian
hero Theseus. The word Minotaur is a compound word consisting of the
ancient Greek name "Μίνως" or "Minos" and the noun "ταύρος" or "bull."
Thus, the word Minotaur comes to mean "bull of Minos." While, the
Minotaur's birth name, Asterion, in ancient Greek "ἀστέριον" means
"starry one" which suggests an association with the bull constellation:
Taurus.
TEMENOS
 Temenos is a piece of land cut off and assigned as an
official domain, especially to kings and chiefs, or a piece of land
marked off from common uses and dedicated to a god, a
sanctuary, holy grove or holy precinct: The Pythian race-course is
called a temenos, the sacred valley of the Nile is the Νείλοιο πῖον
τέμενος Κρονίδα, the Acropolis is the ἱερὸν τέμενος. The word
derives from the Greek verb τέμνω, "to cut"; plural: τεμένη,
temene. The earliest attested form of the word is the Mycenaean
Greek te-me-no, written in Linear B syllabic script.
 The concept of temenos arose in classical Mediterranean cultures as an area
reserved for worship of the gods. Some authors have used the term to apply to a
sacred grove of trees, isolated from everyday living spaces, while other usage points
to areas within ancient urban development that are parts of sanctuaries. A large
example of a Bronze Age Minoan temenos is at the Juktas Sanctuary of the palace
of Knossos on ancient Crete in present day Greece, the temple having a massive
northern temenos. Another example is at Olympia, the temenos of Zeus. There
were many temene of Apollo, as he was the patron god of settlers.
TEMPLE OF APOLLO,
DELPHI
In the heyday of Delphi, the Temple of Apollo was the
most prominent structure ever built, and its ruins date
back to the fourth century BC.
 It was an imposing structure of the Doric order and it
underwent many turbulent incarnations before falling into
ruin.
first built by two prominent architects Trophonios and
Agamedes during the seventh century BC.
It caught on fire during the sixth century after which it
was rebuilt and given the name of the Temple of
Alcmeonidae in honor of the noble Athenian family who
took on its reconstruction with funds donated from all
over Greece.
The temple had six columns in the front and 15 at the
sides.
 TEMPLE OF APOLLO,
DELPHI
 Unfortunately, this temple was again destroyed in 373 BC by an earthquake
and in 330 BC was rebuilt for the third time.

 The Corinthian architects Spintharos, Xenodoros, and Agathon oversaw its

construction. The beautiful sculptures that embellish its pediment were the
work of Athenian sculptors Praxis and Androsthenes. Though very little is
known about the interior, the temple’s foundations include several porous
stone and limestone Doric columns.
SEGESTA TEMPLE

 Segesta emerged as one of the most

important Siceliot (Sicilian-Greek) cities of
antiquity. The Segestans themselves were a
formidable force both economically and
militarily. The hilltop site of the ancient city was
inhabited into the Middle Ages, and boasts the
crumbling ruins of a Norman castle, a small
church and a mosque, along with a classical
amphitheatre.
SANCTUARY OF OLYMPIA
THEATER

Parodos
 passage in an ancient Greek theater between auditorium and skene
by which spectators had access to the theater and actors might come
and go during a play
The parodos is an entrance affording access either to the stage (for
actors) or to the orchestra (for the chorus) of the ancient Greek theater.
The parodoi are distinguished from the entrances to the stage from the
skene, or stage building. The two parodoi are located on either side of
the stage, between it and the theatron, or audience seating area. The
term eisodos is also used.
Skene
 In the theatre of Ancient Greece and classical
drama, the skene was the structure at the back of a
stage. The word skene means "tent" or "hut", and
it is thought that the original structure for these
purposes was a tent or light building of wood and
was a temporary structure.
Theatron
 The theatron (plural theatra) is the word referring
to the seating area section of an ancient Greek, Roman,
and Byzantine theater. The theatron is one of the
earliest and most pronounced parts of ancient theaters.
In fact, some scholars argue it is the most significant
part of Greek and Roman theatrical structures, the part
that defines them. Theatra in Classical Greek and
Roman theaters are spectacular forms of architecture,
built of circular or semi-circular rows of seating in
stone or marble, each row increasing in height.

 The theatron (plural theatra) is the word referring to the seating area section of
an ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine theater. The theatron is one of the earliest
and most pronounced parts of ancient theaters. In fact, some scholars argue it is the
most significant part of Greek and Roman theatrical structures, the part that defines
them. Theatra in Classical Greek and Roman theaters are spectacular forms of
architecture, built of circular or semi-circular rows of seating in stone or marble,
each row increasing in height.
Orchestra
The circular orchestra, with a diameter of 20 m,
constitutes the centre of the theatre. In the centre
is a circular stone plate, the base of the altar or
thymeli. The orchestra is surrounded by a special
underground drainage pipeline of 1.99 m width,
called the euripos. The euripos was covered by a
circular stone walkway.
 Opposite the auditorium and behind the orchestra develops the stage building
of the theatre. The format of the scene (which is partly preserved today) is dated up
to the Hellenistic period and consisted of a two-storey stage building and a
proscenium in front of the stage. There was a colonnade in front of the
proscenium and on both of its sides, the two backstages slightly protruded. East
and west of the two backstages there were two small rectangular rooms for the
needs of the performers. Two ramps lead to the roof of the proscenium, the
logeion, where the actors later played. Finally, the theatre had two gates, which are
now restored.
THE GREAT THEATER OF
EPIDAURUS
In terms of acoustics and aesthetics, this ancient
theater is believed to be the perfect theater of all
time, containing an auditorium, a stage building,
and an orchestral area. According to the Greek
traveler and geographer, Pausanias, Polykleitos the
Younger was behind the construction of this
beautiful symmetrical theater. The theater was
large enough to provide seating for 13,000 to
14,000 people. It not only hosted singing, music,
and dramatic games but also included the worship
of the god of medicine, Asclepius.
 THE GREAT THEATER OF
EPIDAURUS
 The place was therefore used to heal patients since it was believed that
witnessing a staged drama had a positive effect on both physical and mental health.

 Like many other Greek theaters, it was not modified during the Roman era, and
even today it retains a distinctively Hellenistic feel. In 1955, an annual event for the
presentation of ancient drama was established called the Epidaurus Festival which
still takes place during the summer months every year.