ANCIENT GREEKANCIENT GREEKANCIENT GREEK ANCIENT GREEK CULTURECULTURECULTURECULTURE

MEDIEVAL THEORIESROMANS MEDIEVAL THEORIESROMANS

RENAISSANCEOPERAS

ENLIGHTENMENTOPERAS

ENLIGHTENMENT

TODAYTODAYBUILDINGS PLAYSBUILDINGS PLAYSMOVIES DORICMOVIES

3 Major Periods of Ancient Greece Civilizations

1. Early Civilizations: Minoans (Crete) and Mycenaey

2. Classical Greece: (flourishing of arts, literature philosophy; domination by Spartaliterature, philosophy; domination by Sparta and Athens) 

3. Hellenistic Period : Macedonia Empire and Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great

Brief HistoryBrief History• Ancient Greece is considered by most historians to be the culturaly

foundation of Western Civilization.

Greek culture was a powerful influence in the Roman Empire which• Greek culture was a powerful influence in the Roman Empire, whichcarried a version of it to many parts of Europe.

• Ancient Greek civilization has been immensely influential on thelanguage, politics, educational systems, philosophy, art andarchitecture of the modern worldarchitecture of the modern world.

• The Roman Empire's influence on government, law, andmonumental architecture, as well as many other aspects of Westernlife remains visible today.

Architectural TermsArchitectural Terms•Cornice is the set of crowning moldingsthat cap an entablature in Classicalthat cap an entablature in Classicalarchitecture.

•The Doric order is characterized by thecornice yseries of triglyphs and metopes on theentablature.

•Each metope was occupied by a panel•Each metope was occupied by a panelof relief sculpture.

•Architrave: The word is derived from the

triglyph

metope

Greek word for main beam.

•Capital: The topmost element of thecolumn helps to transfer loads from

architravecolumn, helps to transfer loads frombeams to columns.

•Shaft: The long round section of acapital

column between the base and thecapital.Shaft

Architectural Influences 

Doric Column

IonicColumn

CorinthianColumn

Amphitheaters Arches Monuments

Aqueducts Bath HousesTheaters

Doric Architecture

• The Doric style israther sturdy and itsrather sturdy and itstop (the capital), isplain.p

• The columns arefluted.

• This style was used inmainland Greece andthe colonies insouthern Italy andSicilySicily.

Doric ArchitectureDoric Architecture

I D i lIn Doric columns:• On the architrave, there are

triglyphs and metopes. g yp p

• At the top of the columns, th ' it l d fthere's a capital made of a sort of small pillow in stone, and then a square block, under the architrave.

• The columns have no base• The columns have no base, but just sit right on the floor.

Ionic Architecture

• The Ionic style is thinner yand more elegant.

Th it l i d t d• The capital is decorated with a scroll-like design (a volute).

• This style was found in eastern Greece and theeastern Greece and the islands

Ionic ArchitectureIonic ArchitectureIn Ionic columns:In Ionic columns:• At the top of the columns,

there's a double curve in stone under thestone, under the architrave.

• They are still fluted, but they have more flutes than Doric columns.

• The columns have a small base to stand on, instead ,of sitting right on the floor.

Corinthian Architecture

• The Corinthian style is• The Corinthian style is seldom used in the Greek world, but often seen on Roman templesRoman temples.

• The capital is veryThe capital is very elaborate and decorated with acanthus leaves

Corinthian ArchitectureCorinthian ArchitectureIn Corinthian columns:

• On the architrave, as in Ionic temples, there is a continuous frieze where the triglyphs and metopes would be on a Doric temple.

• At the top of the columns, on the capital, there's a p ,stone carving of acanthus leaves, under the architrave.

• The columns have a fancier base to stand on.

Aqueductsq• Aqueducts provided water for people in a town or village. p p g

•The Greek had underground canals and galleries, hewn out of the rock to lead the water to dry pastures.

•The Romans were the first to construct aqueducts the way we know them:

--a line of arches joined together, ith h l th t twith a channel on the top to carry

water.

The Romans did not built aqueducts•The Romans did not built aqueducts in Italy only, but also in Germany, France, Spain, and Turkey.

Aqueduct TechnologyAqueduct Technology

•Closed pipes were occasionally used to cross valleys by the "inverted syphon" methodinverted syphon method.

• The pressure forced the water down and up again on the other side, to a level slightly lower than before.

Bath HousesBath Houses

• Aqueducts provided the water to the public baths.

• Heated and cooled baths• Heated and cooled baths.

• Dirty water was replaced y pwith clean water.

E i d• Exercise and message rooms were available.

Bath House ‐ HeatingBath House  Heating

Th h R h d f i i i h i b hThe system the Romans had for maintaining their baths. In the cold and hot areas, the water temperature was actually regulated by the use of underground fire furnaces.

Greek Theater FormationGreek Theater Formation

•Orchestra: The orchestra(literally, "dancing space")was normally circularwas normally circular.

•Theatron: The theatron(literally, "viewing-place") iswhere the spectators satwhere the spectators sat.

•Skene: The skene (literally,"tent") was the building directlybehind the stagebehind the stage.

•Parodos: The parodoi (literally,"passageways") are the pathsb hi h th h dby which the chorus and someactors made their entrancesand exits.

TheatersTheaters

• The theater was shaped with a half circle or orchestra space in front of the stage.

• The structure was built into a hillside and the wall behind the stage structure was relativelystage structure was relatively low.

• To solve the problem of li hti d d thlighting and sound - the theaters were outdoors.

• Dodoni was a vital center from• Dodoni was a vital center from about 2000 BC and flourished well into the Roman times. Dodoni Ancient Greek Theater,

Northwest GreeceNorthwest Greece

ArchesArches• An arch is a curved structure

capable of spanning a spacewhile supporting significantweight.

• The arch was developed inAncient Greece and laterrefined in Ancient Rome.

• Arches were used for• Arches were used forunderground structures suchas drains and vaults.

Th A h f C i• The ancient Romans were the

first to use them widelyabove ground

The Arch of Constantinebackground right, the Coliseum.

above ground.

AcropolisAcropolis

Parthenon

Side view of the Parthenon

The Golden MeanThe Golden Mean

• Ideal of beauty in Numbers• ProportionProportion • A formula as a “theme” 1:2 + 1 (Parthenon 8 1 )8:17)

• Golden Mean = 1:1.6180339 . . . (roughly 8:13) found throughout nature

Post & LintelPost & Lintel construction

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