Greek and Roman Architecture By: Chanel S, Emma W, Sierra R, and Nickole P

GREEKS The Greeks certainly had a preference for marble, at least for their public buildings. Wood would have been used for not only basic architectural elements like columns but the entire buildings themselves. Early 8th century B.C.E. temples were constructed and had thatch roofs.The most recognizably “Greek” structure is the temple. The Greeks referred to temples with the term ὁ ναός (ho naós) meaning "dwelling;" temple derives from the Latin term, templum. The earliest shrines were built to honor divinities and were made from materials such as a wood and mud brick— materials that typically don't survive very long. The basic form of the naos emerges as early as the tenth century B.C.E. as a simple, rectangular room with projecting walls (antae) that created a shallow porch. This basic form remained unchanged in its concept for centuries. In the eighth century B.C.E. Greek architecture begins to make the move from ephemeral materials (wood, mud brick, thatch) to permanent materials (namely, stone).

Greek Architecture: Types of Columns DORIC The Doric order was one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture. The other two orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of columns. Doric Columns have a firm place in history and in the tradition of classical architecture. The ancient styles of construction developed in Greece and Rome, but were revived and codified by Renaissance architects and scholars.

Greek Architecture: Types of Columns IONIC Ionic temples are a little fancier and more delicate than Doric temples, without being as elaborate as corinthian temples. In Ionic temples, the columns have a small base to stand on, instead of sitting right on the floor. They are still fluted, but they have more flutes than Doric columns. At the top of the columns, there's a double curve in stone, under the architrave.

Greek Architecture: Types of Columns CORINTHIAN This column was created by a sculptor named Callimachus. This order is the latest and elaborate of the classical order of architecture. It was invented in Athens in 5th century BCE. The origin of its name is connected with antiquity with the Greek city state of Corinth. The order incorporates more vegetal elements than the Ionic order. This column is representing a set of Acanthus leaves surrounding a votive basket .

Greek Architecture: Parthenon

ROMANS Stone served the Empire as a basic construction material. Brick and concrete were used when speed and repeatability of construction were critical. At a basic level stone is the most common and logically used building material. The Romans started making concrete more than 2,000 years ago, but it wasn’t quite like today’s concrete. They had a different formula, which resulted in a substance that was not as strong as the modern product. Yet structures like the Pantheon and the Colosseum have survived for centuries, often with little to no maintenance. Roman concrete is considerably weaker than modern concretes. It’s approximately ten times weaker.

Roman Architecture: Buildings Pantheon The Pantheon was first built in 27 B.C. It was built by a man named Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. The Pantheon was the most preserved building in Rome. The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a church, in Rome, Italy, on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa. The Pantheon that was built by Marcus Agrippa was burnt to the ground in 80 A.D. The Pantheon was rebuilt in A.D. 117-138 by Emperor Hadrian. It was built to replace the Pantheon that burnt down. The word Pantheon is a Greek adjective meaning “honor all Gods”. In fact the pantheon was first built as a temple to all gods. It is a bit of a mystery how the Pantheon managed to survive barbarian raids when all the rest of Roman monuments had been shattered. It's turning into a church in 609 AD has a lot to do with it in later time, but also the structure itself is way ahead of its time. In fact, the exact composition of the material is still unknown and appears to be structurally similar to modern day concrete! Whatever the reasons are, the Pantheon is the only structure of its age and size that has successfully survived the damage of time and gravity, still intact with all its splendor and beauty. .

Roman Architecture: Buildings Colosseum The Colosseum is an amphitheatre in the center of the city Rome, in Italy. It is also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. It was used for a variety of events and could hold 50,000 people. Earthquakes and stone robbers left it in ruins, but part of it still stands today. Several different events were held in the Colosseum including gladiator contests, mock battles and animal hunts, and dramas that were based on Classical mythology. If they held a mock sea battle they flooded the Colosseum with water. The amphitheatre was used for entertainment for 390 years. During this time more than 400,000 people died inside the Colosseum. It's also estimated that about 1,000,000 animals died in the Colosseum as well.

Roman Forum Forum An impressive if rather confusing sprawl of ruins, the Roman Forum was ancient Rome's showpiece center, a grandiose district of temples, basilicas and vibrant public spaces. The site, which was originally an Etruscan burial ground, was first developed in the 7th century BC, growing over time to become the social, political and commercial hub of the Roman empire. In front of the Curia, and hidden by scaffolding, is the Lapis Niger, a large piece of black marble that's said to cover the tomb of Romulus. Nearby, the 6th-century Chiesa di Santa Maria Antiqua, is the oldest and most important Christian monument in the Roman Forum. Recently opened after a lengthy restoration, it's a treasure trove of early Christian art with exquisite 6th- to 9th- century frescoes and a hanging depiction of the Virgin Mary with child, one of the earliest icons in existence. Accessible from in front of the church is the Rampa imperiale (Imperial Ramp), a vast underground passageway that allowed the emperors to access the Forum from their Palatine palaces without being seen. It's not all open but you can walk up to a panoramic viewing balcony.

Roman Architecture: Buildings

References https://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Architecture/ https://www.rome.info/pantheon/ https://www.britannica.com/topic/pantheon-building-Rome-Italy http://www.doric-column.com/ http://www.polomusealelazio.beniculturali.it/index.php?it/232/pantheon http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/beginners-guide-greece/a/greek- architectural-orders http://romeonsegway.com/10-facts-about-the-pantheon/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-secrets-of-ancient-romes-buildings-234992/

More References https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome/attractions/roman-forum/a/poi-sig/389047/359975 http://www.softschools.com/facts/wonders_of_the_world/colosseum_facts/88/ http://ancient-greece.org/architecture/parthenon.html

Greek Architecture Roman Architecture