The Parthenon and

the Pantheon's
Architectural
Similarities and
https://www.planetware.com/rome/pantheon-i-la-rp.htm
differences
Addison Henson ARCH 249 Fall
2020 (Prof. Glowacki)

Fazio, Buildings
Across Time 5e,
fig. 2.23
 Comparison of Plans

The Parthenon consists

of a cella which is the
main interior of a greek The Parthenon is
temple. In the oriented to where The Pantheon is
Parthenon the cella the corners point in orientated to where
held statue of Athena the cardinal the front porch faces
Parthenos directions and has a the North

true North corner

Yegül and Favro, Roman
Architecture and Urbanism, fig. 6.56
The Pantheon has a
rotunda which is
the rounded portion The Pantheon has
of the building Non-Peripheral
columns since they do
not go all around the
building
Both the Pantheon and the
Parthenon have porticos, a
roof supported by columns
The Parthenon had which create a porch, that form
Peripheral the entrances of the buildings.
columns that go However, the Pantheon has a
all the way around deeper portico than the
Travlos, Pictorial
Dictionary of Ancient Athens, fig. 564 the building Parthenon.
 Comparison of Exterior Elevations

Yegül and Favro, Roman

Architecture and Urbanism, fig. 6.58
The Pantheon consists of The Parthenon
an oculus at the top of consisted mainly of
the building. An oculus is Doric columns,
a circular window or which is the earliest
opening, and served as and most simple of
the main source of light in the Classical Orders.
The Pantheon the Pantheon.
consists of The columns in the Parthenon
Both the Pantheon and Corinthian were fluted, which means they
the Parthenon have a columns which is had shallow grooves that run
pediment which mounts a type of Greek vertically on a column shaft.
the porticos of the column designed
buildings. The Parthenon in the late
however, has a deeper classical period.
pediment so sculptures
could be added,
compared to the
Pantheon who has a
shallow pediment.
http://people.duke.edu/~wj25/UC_Web_Site/hum98/Acropolis-parth2.asp
 Both the Pantheon and the Parthenon
had cult statues in the interior of https://www.expedia.com/Nashville.dx178291?gallery=open
their buildings. Both cult statues
Comparison of Main Rooms depicted either their leaders or gods
(Pantheon), or just one god
(Parthenon)

The Pantheon consists

of coffers which are
stepped indentions. The
trapezodial-shaped
coffers act as
decoration and also
make the weight less by
reducing the thickness
of the inner face of the
dome. In the Parthenon the statue of
Athena was the main focal point of
the Pantheon consists of many aedicula, the building, however in the
which was a small temple-like shrine which Pantheon, the focal point begins at
housed a statue or image of a deity, and the large arch and moves along
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pantheon11111.jpg
(Author: Macron 2016
was generally built as part of a larger the round shape of the building
structure. and up to the oculus.
The Pantheon was
decorated with marble
slabs on the floor as
well as marble veneer.

The main interior of the

Pantheon is a dome shape.

Kleiner, A
https://www.ysma.gr/en/monuments/parthenon/
History of Roman Art, fig. 12-19a
 Reflection

Inspired by the Hellenistic Greeks, the Romans became the first ancient
people to build large interior spaces. I can reflect, after examining the
Parthenon and the Pantheon, that the Romans were influenced by Greek
architectural ideas such as the incorporation of porticos, the implementation
of Greek order, and the use of pediments, however, the Romans begin to
breakaway from the Greek style of architecture when examining the structure
of their interior spaces and the methods used to form them. The Romans
made many technological break throughs in architecture such as mastering
masonry vaulting or relieving arch to create new interior spaces such as the
dome shape as seen in the Pantheon. For example, a series of relieving arches
at three different levels of the rotunda hold up the dome interior as well as
the oculus fashioned at the top of the dome. Innovations such as these, along
with Greek architectural ideas such a Classical order help the Romans create
a new form of architecture that beautifully flows together.
Relieving Arches
supporting the
https://www.thoughtco.com/influencial-architecture-of-the-pantheon-177715 Pantheon
 List of Works Consulted

• Fazio, M., M. Moffett, and L. Wodehouse. 2014. “Chapter 2: The Greek World,” in Buildings
Across Time,
4th ed., pp. 35-61 [esp. “The Parthenon, Athens,” pp. 47-50]. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher
Education.
• Fazio, M., M. Moffett, and L. Wodehouse. 2014. “Chapter 5: The Roman World”,” in Buildings
Across
Time, 4th ed., pp. 105-131 [esp. “Temples,” pp. 118-120]. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
• Pedley, John G. 2012. “The High Classical Period, c. 450-400 BC,” in Greek Art and
Archaeology, 5th ed.
pp. 249-287 [esp. “The Parthenon,” pp. 251-265]. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
• Ramage, Nancy H., and Andrew Ramage. 2015. “Chapter 7: Hadrian and the Classical Revival, AD
117-
138,” in Roman Art: Romulus to Constantine, 6th ed, pp. 229-255 [esp. “The Pantheon,” pp. 235-
239].
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Aggie Honor Statement: "On my Honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this student work" - Addison Henson