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Greek Architecture PDF
Greek Architecture PDF
History of Architecture I
Module 6
Ancient Greek Architecture
Module Outline
• Lecture 17
– Historical Background
• Location and period
• Social characteristics and beliefs
• Lecture 18
– Architecture of the Civilization
• Greek Orders
• Temple Architecture
• Civic Architecture
• Lecture 19
• Greek City Planning and Design
• Greek Architecture in Athens
• Lecture 20
– Architectural Characteristics
• Buildings and other architectural elements
• Building materials, construction and technologies
• Architectural Organizing principles
Module Learning Outcomes
• What do we expect to learn from the
civilization?
– Stone construction and decoration
– The introduction of Proportion in Architecture
– The introduction of the classical orders of
architecture
– Greek architecture of temples and civic
buildings
– Principles of Greek city Planning and Design
Module 6 Lecture 17
Ancient Greek Architecture
Outline of Lecture
• Lecture 17
–Historical Background
• Location and period
• Social characteristics and beliefs
Historical Background
Historical Background
Location
• Greek civilization occurred
in the area around the
Greek mainland, on a
peninsula that extends into
the Mediterranean Sea
• It started in cities on the
Greek mainland and on
islands in the Aegean Sea
• Towards the later or
Hellenistic period, Greek
civilization spread to other
far away places including
Asia Minor and Northern
Africa
Historical Background
Location
• Most of the Greek
mainland was rocky and
barren and therefore bad
for agriculture
• Most Greeks therefore
lived along the coastline or
on islands where the soil
was good for farming
• The Aegean and
Mediterranean Seas
provided a means of
communication and trade
with other places
Historical Background
Period
• The period of ancient Greek history can
be divided into four as follows:
– 1100 B. C. – 750 B. C. Greek Dark Ages
– 750 B. C. – 500 B. C. Archaic Period
– 5000 B. C. – 323 B. C. Classical Period
– 323 B. C. – 147 B. C. Hellenistic Period
• The classical and archaic period are
sometimes collectively referred to as
Hellenic period
Historical Background
Period
• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)
– The Mycenaean people were Greek in Origin
– Greek civilization is therefore usually viewed as a
continuation of the Mycenaean civilization
– The start of the Greek civilization is therefore
dated to the end of the Mycenaean civilization in
1100BC
– Following the decline of Mycenae, the area
around the Greek mainland went into a period of
decline that is referred to as the Greek Dark ages
Historical Background
Period
• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)
– Greece became depopulated with groups of
people moving out of mainland Greece
towards the islands of the Aegean
– Mycenaean and Greek culture dwindled and
many cultural elements including writing, art
and architectural techniques were lost
– Trade with Asia Minor, the Middle East and
Egypt, which was at the root of Cretan
prosperity stopped entirely
Historical Background
Period
• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)
– As Greek people migrated from the mainland, other
people from other less prosperous mountain regions
of the north migrated to the more fertile coastline
regions
– They invade the Greek mainland villages and
established their rule
– The northerners brought with them a Greek dialect
called Dorian, as opposed to the Ionic Greek spoken
by the main settlers
– The two dialects and cultures later mixed together to
create a Hellenic culture, which is at the root of
ancient Greek civilization
Historical Background
Period
• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)
– These two dialects became equated with
characteristic architectural forms that evolved
in them
– In the period following the invasion by the
Dorians, there was a shift in lifestyle that
produced a sedentary agricultural lifestyle and
society.
– Sedentary lifestyle allowed the Greeks to
rediscover urbanized culture that ultimately
led to evolution of classical Greek culture
Historical Background
Period
• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)
– The revival of Greece from the dark ages
started during the eight century BC
– The Greeks developed a new political form
called city states
– City states are cities which are ruled as
independent nations
– The archaic period saw the renewal interest in
overseas trading contact
Historical Background
Period
• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)
– Greek societies that were engaged in trade
became rich and by joining with other their
neighbors, sometimes forcefully, formed large
states
– The polis or city state emerged as the natural
and desirable political entity
– Early examples of these city states include
Athens, Corinth, Argos, and Sparta on the
mainland, and in the Eastern Aegean, Samos,
Chios, Smyrna, Ephesus and Miletus
Historical Background
Period
• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)
– The archaic period marked the rise of the aristocratic
families; families that are considered noble or of
higher status
– The archaic period was dominated politically by the
leading aristocratic families in each city state acting in
concert or squabbling amongst themselves for
supremacy
– At times individual aristocrats were able to take
advantage of popular dissatisfaction to seize
authoritarian power
– Such rulers were called tyrants
Historical Background
Period
• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)
– Such tyrants stimulated the development of
the arts through their patronage
– The archaic period marked the beginnings of
Greek monumental stone sculpture and
architecture
– Around 546 BC, the rising Persian Empire
conquered some Greek city states
– The rising threat of the Persian Empire
marked the end of the Greek archaic period
and of classical Greek culture
Historical Background
Period
• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)
– The Classical period of ancient Greek history
occurred between 500 BC, and 323 BC.
– The period started with the Greek city states
coming into conflict with the rising Persian
Empire
– The free Greek cities saw the threat that was
developing from the Persian Empire and
prepared for resistance
– A seaborne expedition by the Persians to
Athens was defeated at Marathon in 490 BC
Historical Background
Period
• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)
– Under the Persian King Xerxes, Persia attempted a
retribution in 479 BC and was defeated by an alliance
of the Greek states headed by Sparta
– The Greek alliance soon transformed into an Empire
under the leadership of Athens
– Pericles, the ruler of Athens between 444 and 429 BC
became a driving force for the development of temple
architecture
– Pericles used the defense revenue from the alliance
for temple building in Athens to thank the Gods
Historical Background
Period
• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)
– Athens reached its greatest political and cultural
heights during the classical period
– The full development of the democratic system of
government occurred under Pericles
– The Parthenon on the Acropolis at Athens was built
– Philosophical schools such as those of Socrates and
Plato were founded
– Between 431 and 404, Athens entered into a series of
wars with Sparta which left it in ruins
– The fall of Athens gradually led to political chaos in
the whole of Greece
– The 4th century saw the rise of Macedonia as a
power in the region
Historical Background
Period
• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)
– The Macedonian king, Philip rapidly extended
Macedonian power and wealth
– In 338 BC, he defeated a coalition of the
major Greek Cities including Athens and
Thebes, and created a federation of all
Greeks with him as the leader
– He proposed a crusade against the Persians
but was assassinated before undertaking it
Historical Background
Period
• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)
– His son Alexander undertook the crusade and
established himself as the ruler of the former
Persian empire
– Alexander undertook a lot of military
campaigns to extend the Greek empire and
founded many new cities such as Alexandria
in Egypt
– He died in 323 BC without a heir to inherit him
– The Death of Alexander marked the end of
the classical period of Greece civilization
Historical Background
Period
• Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)
– The Hellenistic period of ancient Greek
civilization started with the death of Alexander
in 323 BC
– When Alexander died, he did not have a heir
to inherit him
– The Greek empire split into smaller states
with Alexander’s generals as their rulers
Historical Background
Period
• Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)
– The period saw the transplanting of Greek art,
civic life and culture to newly conquered areas
– The period also saw a marked increase in
interest in civic buildings
– The Hellenistic period ended in 147 BC, when
the Roman Empire conquered Greece and
incorporated the city states into it
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Introduction
– Greek civilization is the first major civilization in Europe
– Greek civilization along with the Roman civilization are
said to be at the root of current western civilization
– They two are referred to as “classical” cultures because
of their recognition as the root of western civilization
– Greek and Roman architecture are also referred to as
classical architecture
– Greek civilization started with the mingling of two Greek
cultures, the Dorian and the Ionian to create a single
Hellenic culture
– The two developed a sedentary agricultural and
commercial society that ultimately gave birth to the
concept of the city state
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Societal Organization- The city state
– The ancient Greeks lived in self governing city-states
called "polis."
– The city-states were small, independent communities
which were male-dominated and bound together by
race.
– The ancient Greek world was made up of hundreds of
these independent city states
– The polis started as a defensible area to which
farmers of an area could retreat in the event of an
attack as in the Mycenaean citadels
– Over time, towns grew around these defensible
areas.
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Societal Organization- The city state
– Every polis was different from another, even though
there were similarities between them
– They were all bounded by common language and
religious beliefs
– They all made efforts to preserve their own unique
identity, and each city state believed that their state
was better than all the other states
– The city states often fought with one another.
– The city state of Athens on the Greek mainland was
among the most famous and powerful of the city
states
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Societal Organization- The city state
– It was a major center for learning and the arts.
– When city-states were first formed, they were ruled by
a few wealthy men.
– However, they gradually moved towards democracy.
– Athens developed an early form of democracy
– How did they make laws? Only men who were born in
Athens were allowed to vote.
– They did this at public assemblies where upper class
citizens discussed and adopted laws that might
benefit Athens.
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Social Organization And Responsibility
– The scale of the polis was small.
– The philosophers Aristotle and Plato believed that the
polis should be of a small size, so that members know
each other personally
– The ideal size of a city state was fixed at 5040 males
by Plato
– Citizens in any polis were related by blood and so
family ties were very strong.
– Membership of the polis was hereditary and could not
be passed to persons outside the family
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Social Organization And Responsibility
– The society of the polis had a social hierarchy with
citizens at the top, followed by people who are not
citizens and finally slaves
– Public life was for male citizens while women were
secluded in the house
– Greek citizens did not have rights but duties
– All citizens were directly involved in politics, justice,
military service, religious ceremonies, intellectual
discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits.
– It was not acceptable for Greek citizens to refuse to
carryout their responsibilities
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Religious Belief
– The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, believing in
many different gods and goddesses
– The God were regarded as all powerful but similar to
human beings in their passions, desires and appetite
– All aspect of life was under the protection of the gods,
and they controlled everything, from the waves in the
ocean to the winner of a race.
– All the gods and goddesses had specific roles,
controlling one or two major aspects of life
– Zeus was, for example, the supreme leader of the
gods, Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and
Poseidon was the god of the sea
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Religious Belief
– The essential concept in religious practice was that of
contract, of obligation and the paying of obligation
– Humans call on the gods for protection and make
offerings to the gods to secure this
– Ancient Greeks believed that religion would make
their lives better while they were living.
– They also believed that the gods would take care of
them when they died.
– Religious belief was constantly changing and
developing as new cults were introduced from time to
time
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Place of Worship
– Temples were the focus of Greek religious worships
– Temples were usually built in the cities of the Gods
called “Acropolis”
– Temples were built in every town and city for one or
more god or goddess
– The temples were considered as offerings to the gods
– Each community was therefore under pressure to
make them beautiful as possible
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Place of Worship
– The temples were also considered as the house of
the gods
– They were not designed for functional use
– They usually consist of a large open hall called
sanctuary where the statue of the god to whom it is
dedicated is kept
– The temples were the places for routine festivals to
the gods
– The festivals included plays, music, dancing, and then
a parade to the temple where they made sacrifices
and had a feast.
– Animals were usually sacrificed as a gift to the gods
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• Architecture in service of religion
– Architecture in Greece Started in the Service of
Religions
– Temples were the abode of gods
– The Greeks regarded beauty as an attribute of the
gods and the conscious pursuit of beauty as a
religious exercise.
– The most important task for architects was how to
make the temple beautiful
– The search for ways to express architectural beauty
made the Greek civilization among the first to have
established ideals of beauty
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs