Ancient Greek architecture is a product of the Hellenic and the Hellenistic people. Ancient Greek architecture is best known for its temples, most of which are found in the region as ruins. Ancient Greek architecture is distinguished by its highly formalized characteristics, both of structure and decoration, particularly in the temples. Most often these temples are raised on the high grounds so that the beauty of the well illuminated structure can be enjoyed from a good distance away in all angles. Although limestone was available the building material primarily used was stone, especially high quality marble.
According to nationalparkservice.gov, “The Washington Monument towers above the city that bears his name, serving as an awe-inspiring reminder of George Washington's greatness”. In contrast, there is another architecture that is common with the ancient Romans which is the Lincoln Memorial. The exterior of the memorial has a peristyle which was used centuries ago from Pompeii to England. Today you may see many building with this same type style, but modern days we recognize it as pillars. According to abrahamlincolnonline.org, “New York architect Henry Bacon modeled the memorial in the style of a Greek temple.
What civic virtues are important for young people to have today and why? What ideas about government did the Founders find in classical republicanism? ● Founders studied the classical periods of ancient Greece and Rome - most influence from the Roman Republic: 509 B.C. to 27 B.C. How does the architectural style of some government buildings symbolize the influence of ancient Greece and Rome on the Founders?
Art History I Chapter Seven Summary Roman Art – Key Ideas: Roman Art Roman temples developed during the Republican period echo the Greek prostyle plan. Early evidence of Roman building characteristics can be seen in the sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia at Palestrina, east of Rome. From early 1st century, this complex shows an early use of concrete, barrel vaults, and engaged columns. The Forum of Caesar, constructed during the end of Julius Caesar’s life, furnished the prototype for all later Imperial forums. Impressive examples of Roman architecture in the Provinces include the Pont du Gard and Maison Carree in Nimes.
The Classical City of Olympia The classical Greek city has a variety of certain styles that have proven to be typical for the time period which the cities had been erect and populous. The chief building material used in ancient cities was stone, with the exception of the timber and roof ceiling. Buildings were decorated with terra-cotta and everything was marble cut in large blocks which were fastened together with clamps and dowels. How the ancient Greeks used lighting is also a distinguishing characteristic of their ancient cities. They also knew how the light interacted with the architecture to create seemingly massive and overpowering spaces that defined their building shapes and colors.
Two of the architects who built the Parthenon were Ictinus and Callicrates. They built the temple for the Greek goddess Athena. They began building the temple in 447 B.C. and finished in 431 B.C. The Parthenon was still under construction when the Persians attacked the city.
Though the Etruscans made Roma a metropolis, the Romans themselves adopted Greek artistic customs instead. They broke from traditional conventions however, and made their statues often more realistic and the coloration (which is now often lost) much gaudier. Greek paintings were too adopted in form, but such items did not survive antiquity. Secondly, the Romans adopted Greek mythology and philosophy. Originally, the chief deities of Vesta, Jupiter, Mars and Venus did not have mythology in Rome (with many being quite animistic).
A History of Ancient Greece Legacy Author: Robert Guisepi Date: 1998 A Vital Legacy The final complexity in dealing with classical Greece (and then Rome) involves its relationship to us - to contemporary residents of North America. For most Americans, Greece constitutes the first phase of "our own" classical past. The framers of the Constitution of the United States were intensely conscious of Greek precedents. Designers of public buildings in the United States have dutifully copied Greek and Roman models. Plato and Aristotle continue to be thought of as founders of our philosophical tradition, skillful teachers still imitate the Socratic Method in seeking dialogues with students, and reliance on scientific methods of inquiry
Greek architecture begins with the simple houses of the Dark Age and culminates in the monumental temples of the Classical period and the elaborately planned cities and sanctuaries of the Hellenistic period. As in any time or place, the raw materials available and the technologies developed to utilize them largely determined the nature of the architecture. The principal materials of Greek architecture were wood, used for supports and roof beams; unbaked brick, used for walls, especially of private houses; limestone and marble, used for columns, walls, and upper portions of temples and other public buildings; terracotta (baked clay), used for roof tiles and architectural ornaments; and metals, especially bronze, used for some decorative details. Greek architects of the Archaic and Classical periods used these materials to develop a limited range of building types, each of which served a fixed purpose—religious, civic, domestic, funerary, or recreational. The principal forms of religious architecture were open-air altars, temples, and treasuries.
Another just as important contribution was the development of a constitution. The idea of everyone having equal treatment was as well an ingenious idea that was created by them that would later influence democracy. Many other important things were also contributed to democracy but those were just the minimal and the basic few. The Greeks contributed a lot to democracy. An impeccable example of this is that, “Athenian leader Cleisthens introduced a constitution or plan to govern.”(Mejia’s notes).