ANCIENT PERIOD- GREEK

CONTENT

 Classical period-Greek
Brief history on greek- geographical climate, society
 CLASSICAL GREEK PERIOD

The first inhabitants of the Greek peninsula, who are believed to be Neolithic, built very primitive and basic
structures. The houses were mainly built with a circular, oval, apsidal, or rectangular shape. The
rectangular house was mostly square, but some were oblong, and had the entrance at one of the short
ends. They used mud bricks and stones in the mud with reeds or brush to help build the house. Most of the
houses had one room, there were very rarely two.

The next group of settlers were the Minoan architects. Their towns were mostly residential with little or no
temples and public places. Unlike earlier people, their houses were private and had many rooms. However,
to separate rooms, they would use only pillars. Thus, the house was very open. The stairways were a very
prominent feature for these massive homes. This began a whole new era for the Greeks dealing with
architecture.

The architecture of ancient Greece ranges from the remains of small Dark Age temples built of wood and
mud-brick to the colossal marble Archaic and Classical temples and magnificent public buildings of the
Hellenistic period. Even in the case of stone buildings, however, the effects of earthquakes and general
neglect or abuse mean that these now survive only in more or less ruined states, and many aspects of their
original appearance are thus conjectural.
In the Bronze Age Mediterranean civilisations of Crete and Mycenaean Greece the most important
buildings had been royal palaces and tombs. By contrast, the history of Greek architecture before the
Hellenistic period is dominated by the development of the temple. The political organisation of Archaic and
Classical Greece on the basis of the polis (city state) rather than the kingdom also meant that temples and
other types of buildings, both sacred and secular, were state-financed and essentially public projects.

More than the architecture of any other ancient civilisation, ancient Greek architecture has profoundly
influenced later styles in the Western world. The elaborate aesthetic rules and the range of building types
established by the Greeks were taken up by Roman architects and thus diffused throughout the Empire.
Later still, the architects of the Renaissance and of the Neo-classical revival returned to Greek forms and
concepts, which have continued to be adapted and used in buildings up to the present day.

The main building style used in this period was that of Trabeated construction i.e. a structural system
based on the use of columns or posts and beams. It played a particularly important role in the architecture
of ancient Greece, where it was directly related to the development of the architectural orders, a system in
which the columns surrounding temples and other public buildings were surmounted by an entablature
formed by rectangular architrave blocks, a frieze and cornice. It was also the usual type of structure in the
architecture of both ancient Egypt, where columns or piers were crowned by rectangular blocks.
In Greek architecture the use of the trabeated system was appropriate to the local limestone, as in the
temples of Hera and Zeus at Olympia, or later to marble, as in the Parthenon and Erechtheion on the
Acropolis at Athens. It also reflected an approach to architecture in which there was no break between
structure and appearance: loads were clearly carried by carefully proportioned columns and rectangular
entablature blocks, while non-structural and other architectural elements, including pilasters, were rarely
introduced. The plans of buildings were usually rectangular to fit the principles of trabeated construction,
and the use of arches in Greek architecture above ground was rare.
 Greek- Geographical Climate, Society
Greece is a country located in Southern Europe, its mainland located at the southern end of the Balkan
Peninsula. Greece is surrounded on the north by Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia
and Albania; to the west by the Ionian Sea; to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and to the east by the
Aegean Sea and Turkey. The country consists of a large mainland; the Peloponnese, a peninsula connected
to the southern tip of the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth; and a large number of islands, including
Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, the Dodecanese and the Cyclades.

Mainland Greece is a mountainous land almost completely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Greece
has more than 1400 islands. The country has mild winters and long, hot and dry summers.

The ancient Greeks were a seafaring people. They traded with other countries around the Mediterranean.
Many cities created settlements overseas known as colonies.

Greek cities were founded around the Black Sea, North Africa, Italy, Sicily, France and Spain. Many tales
and legends grew up about the strange lands and creatures that could be found across the sea.
The Greeks sailed up and down the Mediterranean, looking for new places to establish towns. People who
were already living in these places were not always welcoming. The Egyptians chased the Greeks out. The
Greeks were able to set up some Greek cities on the coasts of Italy, Africa, and Turkey.

The ancient Greeks had no central government. They were not building an empire. They were just
exploring and expanding and establishing "outposts" as their population grew. Each of these outposts was
an independent city-state.

Athens is the symbol of freedom, art, and democracy in the conscience of the civilized world. The capital of
Greece took its name from the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge.

In Athens memory never fades. Wherever you stand, wherever you turn, the city's long and rich history will
be alive in front of you. This is where that marvel of architecture, the Parthenon, was created. This is
where art became inseparable from life, and this is where Pericles gave the funerary speech, that
monument of the spoken word.
 Greek- Greece Climate
The climate in Greece is predominantly Mediterranean. However, due to the country's unique geography,
Greece has a remarkable range of micro-climates and local variations. To the west of the Pindus mountain
range, the climate is generally wetter and has some maritime features. The east of the Pindus mountain
range is generally drier and windier in summer. The highest peak is Mount Olympus at 9,570 feet (2,916.9
m) tall. The north areas of Greece have a transitional climate between the continental and the
Mediterranean climate. There are mountainous areas that have an alpine climate.

Mediterranean (dry and wet)

This climate occurs in the Aegean Islands, especially the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, southern and Evia,
low-lying areas of Attica, the western, eastern and south low lying Peloponnesus areas, and the low-lying
areas of Crete. During the summer, the weather is almost always sunny and dry, and any precipitation falls
in the form of showers or thunderstorms from cumuliform clouds. The air is usually hot during the day and
pleasantly warm at night, but there are some very windy days, especially in Cyclades (there a wind which
blows in the Aegean sea in summer but it does not make problems) and the temperatures these days are
lower than the normal days.

Alpine Mediterranean

In this climate, the winter is harsh with abundant snowfalls, while the summers are cool with frequent
thunderstorms. This climate is to be found on high mountains, like Pindus and Rhodope. Few
meteorological stations are in areas with a truly Alpine Mediterranean climate in Greece.
Transitional-Continental- Mediterranean

This climate has characteristics of continental and Mediterranean climate. The winters are colder and
wetter with cloudy or rainy days, and snow occurs 3-5 times in winter and once in March, but it does not
last for a lot of days. Heat waves may occur in the summer, but generally the summer is not warmer than
the areas in south Greece. In this climate, there are lot of thunderstorms and showers in summer, but do
not last for a lot of time.
 Greek- Greece Society
Greece in the Archaic Period was made up from independent states, called Polis, or city state. The polis of
Athens included about 2,500 sq kilometres of territory, but other Polis with smaller areas of 250 sq
kilometres.

Greek Society was mainly broken up between Free people and Slaves, who were owned by the free people.
Slaves were used as servants and labourers, without any legal rights. Sometimes the slaves were prisoners
of war or bought from foreign slave traders. Although many slaves lived closely with their owners, few
were skilled craftsmen and even fewer were paid.

Although the male citizen, with his full legal status, right to vote, hold public office, and own property, may
well have dominated Greek Society, the social groups which made up the population of a typical Greek
city-state or polis were remarkably diverse. Women, children, immigrants (both Greek and foreign),
labourers, and slaves all had defined roles, but there was interaction (often illicit) between the classes and
there was also some movement between social groups, particularly for second generation offspring and
during times of stress such as wars.
Classes:

Although the male citizen had by far the best position in Greek society,
there were different classes within this group. Top of the social tree
were the ‘best people’, the aristoi. Possessing more money than
everyone else, this class could provide themselves with armour,
weapons, and a horse when on military campaign. The aristocrats were
often split into powerful family factions or clans who controlled all of the
important political positions in the polis. Their wealth came from having
property and even more importantly, the best land, i.e.: the most fertile
and the closest to the protection offered by the city walls.

Second group were the middle, business class. Engaged

in manufacturing, trade, and commerce, these were the
nouveau riche. However, the aristoi jealously guarded
their privileges and political monopoly by ensuring only
landowners could rise into positions of real power.
Some could rise through accumulating wealth and
influence, others could go down a class by becoming
bankrupt Ill-health, losing out on an inheritance,
political upheavals, or war could also result in the ‘best’
getting their feet a little dusty.

A poorer, third class of citizens existed too. These were

men who had land but perhaps less productive plots and
situated further from the city, their property was less
well-protected than the prime land nearer the city
proper. The land might be so far away that the owners
had to live on it rather than travel back and forth from
the city. These citizens were called the periokoi or even
worse ‘dusty-feet’ and they collected together for
protection in small village communities, subordinate to
the neighbouring city. As city populations grew and
inheritances became ever more divided amongst siblings,
this secondary class grew significantly.
Women:

Female citizens had few rights in comparison to male citizens. Unable to vote, own land, or inherit, a
woman’s place was in the home and her purpose in life was the rearing of children. Contact with non-
family males was discouraged and women occupied their time with indoor activities such as wool-work and
weaving. Spartan women were treated somewhat differently than in other states, for example, they had to
do physical training (nude) like men, were permitted to own land, and could drink wine.

If a woman had no father, then her interests (marriage prospects and property management) were looked
after by a guardian (kurios), perhaps an uncle or other male relative. Married at the typical age of thirteen
or fourteen, love had little to do with the matching of husband and wife. Of course, love may have
developed between the couple but the best that might be hoped for was philia - a general friendship/love
sentiment; eros, the love of desire, was to be found elsewhere, at least for the male. Marriages could be
ended on three grounds. The first and most common was repudiation by the husband (apopempsis or
ekpempsis). No reason was necessary, only the return of the dowry was expected. If a woman was left a
widow, she was required to marry a close male relative in order to ensure property stayed within the
family.
Children & Adolescents:

Children of citizens attended schools where the curriculum covered reading, writing, and mathematics.
After these basics were mastered, studies turned to literature poetry, and music. Athletics was also an
essential element in a young person’s education. At Sparta, boys as young as seven were grouped together
under the stewardship of an older youth to be toughened up with hard physical training. In Athens, young
adult citizens (aged 18-20) had to perform civil and military service and their education continued with
lessons in politics, rhetoric, and culture. Girls too were educated in a similar manner to boys but with a
greater emphasis on dancing, gymnastics, and musical accomplishment which could be shown off in
musical competitions and at religious festivals and ceremonies. The ultimate goal of a girl’s education was
to prepare her for her role in rearing a family.
ANCIENT PERIOD-GREEK
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 CONTENT

 Greek Architecture
 Greek Architecture

The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking

people (Hellenic people) whose culture flourished and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for
a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest remaining
architectural works dating from around 600 BC.

Ancient Greek architecture is best known from its temples, many of which are found throughout the
region, mostly as ruins but many substantially intact. The second important type of building that survives
all over the Hellenic world is the open-air theatre, with the earliest dating from around 350 BC. Other
architectural forms that are still in evidence are the processional gateway (propylon), the public square
(agora) surrounded by storied colonnade (stoa), the town council building (bouleuterion), the public
monument, the monumental tomb (mausoleum) and the stadium.

Ancient Greek architecture is distinguished by its highly formalised characteristics, both of structure and
decoration. This is particularly so in the case of temples where each building appears to have been
conceived as a sculptural entity within the landscape, most often raised on high ground so that the
elegance of its proportions and the effects of light on its surfaces might be viewed from all angles. Nikolaus
Pevsner refers to "the plastic shape of the [Greek] temple. Placed before us with a physical presence more
intense, more alive than that of any later building".
Types of Buildings:

Domestic buildings

The Greek word for the family or household, oikos, is also the name for the house. Houses followed several
different types. It is probable that many of the earliest houses were simple structures of two rooms, with
an open porch or "pronaos" above which rose a low pitched gable or pediment. This form is thought to
have contributed to temple architecture.

The construction of many houses employed walls of sun dried clay bricks or wooden framework filled with
fibrous material such as straw or seaweed covered with clay or plaster, on a base of stone which protected
the more vulnerable elements from damp. The roofs were probably of thatch with eaves which overhung
the permeable walls. Many larger houses, such as those at Delos, were built of stone and plastered. The
roofing material for substantial house was tile. Houses of the wealthy had mosaic floors and demonstrated
the Classical style. Many houses centred on a wide passage or "pasta" which ran the length of the house
and opened at one side onto a small courtyard which admitted light and air.
Public Buildings

The rectangular temple is the most common and best-known form of Greek public architecture. The
temple did not serve the same function as a modern church, since the altar stood under the open sky in
the temenos or sacred precinct, often directly before the temple. Temples served as the location of a cult
image and as a storage place or strong room for the treasury associated with the cult of the god in
question, and as a place for devotees of the god to leave their votive offerings, such as statues, helmets
and weapons.

Public buildings became "dignified and gracious structures", and were sited so that they related to each
other architecturally. The propylon or porch, formed the entrance to temple sanctuaries and other
significant sites with the best-surviving example being the Propylaea on the Acropolis of Athens.

Every Greek town had an open-air theatre. These were used for both public meetings as well as dramatic
performances. The theatre was usually set in a hillside outside the town, and had rows of tiered seating set
in a semicircle around the central performance area, the orchestra. Behind the orchestra was a low
building called the skênê, which served as a store-room, a dressing-room, and also as a backdrop to the
action taking place in the orchestra.
The Temple of Apollo at Didyma
The Greeks built the Temple of Apollo at Didyma, Turkey (about 300 BC). The design of the temple was
known as dipteral, a term that refers to the two sets of columns surrounding the interior section. These
columns surrounded a small chamber that housed the statue of Apollo. With Ionic columns reaching 19.5
m (64 ft.) high, these ruins suggest the former grandeur of the ancient temple.

The Didymaion was the third and largest temple that the Greeks built around the site of a natural spring,
which they believed to be the source of the oracle’s prophetic power. The first temple was a humble
structure that replaced a much earlier Carian sanctuary.
The Temple of Athena Nike
The Temple of Athena Nike is Part of the Acropolis in the city of Athens. The Greeks built the Temple of
Apollo at Didyma, Turkey (about 300 BC). The design of the temple was known as dipteral, a term that
refers to the two sets of columns surrounding the interior section. These columns surrounded a small
chamber that housed the statue of Apollo. With Ionic columns reaching 19.5 m (64 ft.) high, these ruins
suggest the former grandeur of the ancient temple.

The temple ran 27 feet long by 18 and a half feet wide and 23 feet tall. The total height from the stylobate
to the acme of the pediment while the temple remained intact was a modest 23 feet. The ratio of height to
diameter of the columns is 7:1, the slender proportions creating an elegance and refinement not
encountered in the normal 9:1 or 10:1 of Ionic buildings. Constructed from white Pen telic marble, it was
built in stages as war-starved funding allowed.
Athens Acropolis
The Acropolis of Athens was planned, and construction begun, under the guidance of the great general and
statesman Pericles of Athens. Over two years of detailed planning went into the specifications and
contracting the labour for the Parthenon alone, and the first stone was laid on 28 July 447 BCE, during the
Panathenaic festival.

Wishing to create a lasting monument which would both honour the goddess Athena (who presided over
Athens) and proclaim the glory of the city to the world, Pericles spared no expense in the construction of
the Acropolis and, especially, the Parthenon, hiring the skilled architects Callicrates, Mnesikles, and Iktinos
and the sculptor Phidias (recognized as the finest sculptor in the ancient world who created the statue of
Zeus at Olympia, one of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) to work on the project.

Hundreds of artisans, metal workers, craftspeople, painters, woodcarvers, and literally thousands of
unskilled labourers worked on the Acropolis. Phidias created a gold and ivory statue of Athena which stood
either in the Parthenon, known as the Temple of Athena Parthenos ('Athena the Virgin’ in Greek), or in the
centre of the Acropolis near the smaller temple of Athena.
 THE CLASSICAL GREEK ORDERS

During the Classical Greek architecture period, the Greeks made up three different orders that are most
commonly seen in their temples. These three orders were the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The orders are
also known for their columns style. The Corinthian order was not used as widely as the Doric of Ionic. The
reason being is that the Corinthian order was fancier than the others, and had a lot more detail.
Doric order
The most basic order for their temples would be the Doric
order. Doric architecture was known for being used by the
Spartans. It all starts with some wood shafts, which latter was
replaced by stone. On the top of the shaft, were circular pads
with a square block of wood over it. The vertical columns
were used to support the beams called architraves. In order
to form the ceiling, other beams were laid across the building
with their ends on these architraves. On the end of these
beams, they could be channelled to make a triglyph. On the
top of a triglyph there would be another beam which would
be placed for the overhanging rafters. These types of beams
were referred as to a mutules. The finishing touches for the
roof had to have flat gables called pediments. The gutter ran
along the top of the pediments and ended at a lion's mouth.
This acted like a drain. The materials that were used for the
roofs were thatch and the terra-cotta and marble. The Doric
temples were similar to those of the Ionic order in layout and
design.

Ionic order

The second order would be the Ionic order. Their columns

were more slender than those of the Doric order. Their
dimensions were eight to nine meters high, instead of four to five. The columns had a moulded base which
was placed under them and then sculpted figures on the lower
part of the shaft were added. At the top of these shafts, were
rectangular blocks of stone, which were carved in the shape of
hair or other wave and line shapes.
Corinthian Style

The Corinthian columns are the most decorative and usually the
most appealing to the modern eye. They too use entasis to
correct the optical illusions of the massive Greek structures. The
Corinthian capitals have flowering, leaf-like structures below a
lesser scroll design than that of Ionian capitals. The shaft has
indented sides and the base is a more refined version of the
Ionian. Unlike the Doric and Ionian roofs, which are at a slant, the
Corinthian roofs are flat. The Corinthian frieze is the same as the
Ionic frieze, but on a smaller scale.

The buildings of Ancient Greece can be sub divided into mainly

the following categories:

•Temple Architecture:

Temples were sporadically located and were mostly a small altar, but larger temples called sanctuaries
were being created. These consisted of altars and assembly halls for political or religious needs or events.

The most famous example of temple architecture of this period is the Parthenon located in Athens, Greece
and built during B.C -477 to –438. It enjoys the reputation of being the most perfect Doric temple ever
built. The materials used in this building are bearing masonry, and cut stone, the ceiling is of wood, with
painted and gilded decoration.
•Civic Architecture:

Greek public buildings types occurred in

both state-run religious sanctuaries and
agoras. The latter were the civic and
commercial centres of the polis (city state)
and developed with the rise of the polis as
a place of assembly for the people.

Among the most important civic building

types was the Bouleuterion (council
house). This was an enclosed hall for
meetings of city officials, and it often
contained an altar of Hestia, goddess of
the hearth, a religious aspect that reveals
the original link between the bouleuterion
and the Prytaneion. The latter was used
for entertaining city guests and
traditionally contained the city’s sacred hearth.

Domestic Architecture:

Standard house types evolved comparatively

late in ancient Greek architecture. Dwellings
with apsidal, round or rectangular plans existed
in prehistoric times. Of these, the megaron
type, rectangular in plan with a porch in front,
survives from the 8th century BC at Zagora, and
the apsidal plan is found at Emporio on Chios in
houses of the 7th century BC. Here also square
and rectangular forms occur. From these rather
hazy beginnings emerged two main types of
house: the megaron or prostas type, typical of
the houses in Priene; and the pastas type, best
exemplified in the houses of Olynthos.