GREEK AND ROMAN

ARCHITECTURE

GROUP 1
Introduction – Greek
Columns
Parts of a column:

A.Pediment
B.Entablature
C.Column
D.Crepidoma
Crepidoma (d)

The crepidoma is the platform of, usually, three levels upon

which the superstructure of the building is erected.

The levels typically decrease in size incrementally, forming a

series of steps along all or some sides of the building.

The crepidoma rests on the euthynteria (r) (foundation)

Stylobate (p) to describe only the topmost step of the

temple's base.

Stereobate (q) is used to describe the remaining steps of the

platform beneath the stylobate and just above the leveling
course.

Introduction – Greek Columns

Columns (C)
The columns are divided into:
1. Base
2. Shaft
3. Capital
4. Abacus

Base (O)
Torus – Ring Shaped Moulding
Scotia - Concave molding located at the base Middle
Torus – Moulding Separating the Tori

Torus

Scotia

Middle Torus
Shaft (N)
Drum - Each of the sections that make up the shaft of the column
Flute - Vertical groove along the length of the column.
Fillet - Flat surface between the transverses.
Arris - Line of intersection between two flutes, forming a sharp
angle.

Drum
Flute
Arris
Capital (K)

Abacus - Slab covering the capital

and supporting the
architrave.
Echinus - Convex molding supporting
the abacus.
Abacus
Astragal – Molding that separates the
capital of the column from Echinus
the shaft. Necking
Fillet - Flat surface
Entablature (B)

Architrave (J) – Lower section of the entablature, directly on top of

the capitals of the columns.
Fascia - In the Ionic and Doric styles, each of a number of
bands above the architrave.
Frieze (F) - Section of the entablature between the cornice and
the architrave. In the Ionic order, it is decorated
with scenes sculpted in relief.
Triglyph - Ornamental panel on the frieze that features two
flutes framed on each side by half flutes
Metope - Ornamental panel on the frieze; it is either smooth
or sculpted.
Guttea - Decorative motif located beneath the mutule.
Mutule - Flat ornament, often adorned with drops, attached
to the base of the cornice or the frieze
 Mutule
Guttae

Frieze (F)
Triglyph

Metope
Architrave
Pediment (A)

Sima (b) – Decorated molding on the face of the

pediment’s sloping cornice.

Acroterion (b) - Ornamental feature that rests on a base at the apex

and corners of the pediment.
Geison - Border of the pediment
Tympanum - Triangular surface between the cornice and the
pediment’s two sloping cornices
1. Entrablature
2. Column
3. Cornice
4. Frieze
5. Architrave or epistyle
6. Capital (composed of abacus and volutes)
7. Shaft
8. Base
9. Stylobate
10. Stereobate

Ionic Order
Ionic order

Column – Consists of Base (8), Shaft (7) and capital (6)

8.Base

The diameter of the base at the bottom was 1.375 times the diameter of the column.

Torus – Ring Shaped Moulding

Scotia - Concave molding located at the base
Middle Torus – Moulding Separating the Tori

Torus

Scotia

Middle Torus

Ionic Order
Ionic order

Column –
Base (8)
• The height, of the base, is to be one-third of the thickness of the column.
• It is to be divides into four parts, The upper torus is to be one-fourth.
• The remaining three-fourths are to be equally divided so that one is The lower torus and the
other the scotia with its fillets.

Ionic Order
Ionic Order
Ionic order

Column – Consists of Base (8), Shaft (7) and capital (6)

7. Shaft

• Height of the Ionic columns are 8 to 10 times the diameter

• Flute – There are 24 flutes
• Fillet - Flat surface between the transverses.

Ionic Order
Ionic order

Column – Consists of Base (8), Shaft (7) and capital (6)

6. Capital

Ionic Order
Ionic Order
Ionic Order
Entablature (5)
The entablature is .2 times the height of the column. It has three
parts:
• a plain architrave divided into two, or more generally three,
bands known as Fascia, with a crowning moulding.
• a frieze resting on it that may be richly sculptural
• a cornice
•Built up with dentils (like the closely-spaced ends of
joists)
•Above that there is the Egg and Dart moulding.
•Capping the Egg and Dart moulding is the Corona.
•Cyma Reversa
•Cyma Recta

Cyma Recta Cyma Reversa

Ionic Order
Corinthian Order
Corinthian Order
Corinthian Order
• Pronaos: The entrance-hall (porch) to the temple
proper or cella.
• Naos (Cella in Roman ): usually the larger of the
interior rooms, housed the cult statue.
• Opisthodomos. Porch at the rear of the Naos,
sometimes also a back entrance.
• Adyton: Used as a treasury, a place limited to
priest or priestesses.
• Stereobate: The foundation of the temple,
• Stylobate: The the upper part of which as a
platform or foundation of the row of columns
• Anta (Antis): A pier produced by the thickening of
a wall at its termination, treated architecturally.

• When there are columns between two antae

(antis) then it is referred to as columns in Antis
• stereo (solid), bates (walker), stylos (column)

General Feature of a Greek Temple

Evolution of Greek Temple - Mycenaean
Greek Temples:
• Antis
•Anta
•Double Anta
• Prostyle
•Amphiprostyle
• Peristyle
• Peripteral
• Pseudo Peripteral
• Dipteral
• Pseudo dipteral
• Hexastyle
• Octastyle
• Tholos
It is essentially the megaron (the Mycenaean domestic structure
which became a temple) used as a temple.

Evolution of Greek Temple - Antis

There is a slight increase in size with the presence of Prostyle
Prostyle: Free standing columns located in front of the building

Evolution of Greek Temple – Prostyle

• The peristyle is complete.
• The temple has incorporated the monumentality of
the Egyptian temple while treating it in terms of
human proportions,
• It has become symmetric.
• It has permanent materials in all parts of the
structure.

Evolution of Greek Temple – Peristyle

Evolution of Greek Temple – Peristyle
Evolution of Greek Temple – Peristyle
Evolution of Greek Temple – Tholos
3 Greek Orders
Doric Order:
1. Introduction
2. Features
1. Stereobate
2. Stylobate
3. Column
4. Entablature
5. Pediment

3. Entasis
4. Intercolumniation
5. Doric order conflict

Doric Order
Doric Order:
1. Introduction
• Inspired from Egyptian Columns called proto-doric
• The oldest and heaviest of the three Greek Orders
• Doric column was simplest of them all. It combines solidity and strength
• Due to its thick column shaft and heavy entablature it has a more sturdy
apperance.

Doric Order
Doric Order
 Doric Order:
2. Features

• Stereobate: It comprises of 3 steps surrounding the entire building.

• Stylobate: The last step on which the columns stand.

Doric Order
Doric Order:
2. Features
• Columns
• The columns stand directly on the Stylobate without a base

• The earliest columns were slender in proportion but the later

ones were excessively thick.
•Height = 7 diameter (Hellenistic)
•Height = 5 ½ diameter to 5 ¾ (around 500 BC)
•Height = 4 diameter
• The column shaft has 20 flutes each separated by the sharp
arrises
• The columns in doric order do not have uniform
thickness. The column shaft diminishes to ¾ or 2/3 of the
diameter at base.

Doric Order
Doric Order:
2. Features
• Columns

• The column shaft terminates in a Hypotrachelion which is formed of

3 groves and in later periods it was reduced to a single grove.
• Immediately above this is the capital. In the capital the part showing
the continuation of the shaft is known as Trachelion or Necking
• The prominent part of the capital are the Echinus and the Abacus.
• Near the Base of the Echinus are present 5 horizontal groves which
serve to terminate the vertical flutes. These are known as Annulets.

Doric Order
Doric Order:
3. Entablature
• Has 3 main parts
• Architrave
• Frieze
• Cornice or Geison
• Architrave – is usually made up of 2or 3 slab in
depth
• Capping the architrave is a flat slab known
as Tenia
• Under this there are projecting strips or
blocks known as Regula.
• The Regula has conical or cylindrical
projections known as Guttae

Doric Order
Doric Order:
3. Entablature Mutule
Guttae
• Frieze – Is formed by Triglyphs and Metope
• Triglyphs - It is the vertical elements, Frieze (F)
Triglyph
made up of 2 flutes in the center and 2
half flutes in the end. In total 3 flutes, Metope
Hence the name Triglyphs (Tri-3, Glyphs-
Grooves
• Metopes are the square spaces formed
between the Triglyphs. The Metopes are
left plain or sometimes ornamented with
sculptures
• Mutule – It is a Projecting band in the
Soffit of the Cornice. This is placed
centrally above each Triglyph and Metope.
• The Mutule are filled with 3 rows of Guttae.

Doric Order
Doric Order:
4. Pediment

• Sima (b) – Decorated molding on the face of the pediment’s sloping cornice.
• Acroterion (b) - Ornamental feature that rests on a base at the apex and corners of the
pediment.
• Geison - Border of the pediment
• Tympanum - Triangular surface between the cornice and the pediment’s two sloping cornices

Sima
Acroterion
Sloping or Raking
Cornice

Geison or Cornice

Tympanum

Doric Order
Doric Order:
Entasis
Doric Order:
Intercolumniation
• Pycnostyle – 1.5 Diameter (Distance between 2 columns)
• Systyle – 2 Diameter (Distance between 2 columns)
• Eustyle – 2 ¼ Diameter (Distance between 2 columns)
• Diastyle -3 Diameter (Distance between 2 columns)
• Araestyle – 3 ½ Diameter (Distance between 2 columns)

Doric Order
Doric Order:
Corner Conflict

Doric Order
Doric Order
Doric Order
Greece

Parthenon
Greece

Parthenon
 Greece The Parthenon:
 Pronaos
 Naos
 Parthenon (treasury)
 Opisthodomos Pronaos

Opsithodomos

Parthenon
Greece

Parthenon
Greece

Parthenon
 Greece

Entablature

Parthenon
 AQUADUCTS
THE ROMANS CONSTRUCTED VARIOUS
AQUADUCTS INORDER TO BRING WATER
FROM DISTANT SOURCES INTO THE CITY
AND TOWNS SUPPLYING PUBLIC BATHS.
Greece

Parthenon
Greece

Parthenon
Greece

Parthenon
Pantheon
• The Pantheon is a building in Rome, Italy, commissioned by
Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus and rebuilt by
the emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD.
• Pantheon is derived from the Ancient Greek meaning “all
gods”.
• It took 732 construction workers over three years to construct
the Pantheon.
• The building is circular with a portico of large granite
Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of
four behind) under a pediment.
• A rectangular vestibule links the porch to the rotunda, which
is under a coffered concrete dome, with a central opening
(oculus) to the sky.
• Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon’s
dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.
• The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior
circle are the same, 43.3 meters (142 ft).
• During the Renaissance, the Pantheon was used as a tomb for
many members of the arts. Such artists as Annibale Carracci
and Raphael were buried in the Pantheon. At this time many
artists used the Pantheon as an inspiration for other
buildings.
• It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since
the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a church
dedicated to “St. Mary and the Martyrs ” but informally
known as “Santa Maria Rotunda”.
• The Pantheon is the grandest of all circular temples. The
portico was originally a part of another temple constructed in
25 B.C. The rotunda was constructed between 120A.D and
124A.D by Emperor Madrian.
• The entrance to the Pantheon was designed with a portico
held up by eight columns across holding up the pediment,
which holds the inscription to Agrippa. The Corinthian
columns are monolithic and 14.2m height. They are of
Egyptian granite. The capitals are of marble. The entablature
is 3.4m high. The pediment had a bronze relief work. The
portico is 33.5m wide and 18.8m deep.
• The exterior of the Pantheon is simple and unadorned with
detail especially when compared to the inside which was
embellished with colored marble and bronze moldings. The
floor is inlaid with colored granite and marble in the form of
squares and circles.
• The building is two stories high up to the springing of the
hemispherical dome. There is the third tier in the outside and
the purpose of this is to prevent the dome from spitting
outside.
• The inside of the dome is based on simple geometry. The
dome is circular in height and width. The diameter and height
of the rotunda are the same, 43.3m.
• The walls of the dome have a honeycombed effect known as
coffering. The use of coffering allowed for the dome to
appear larger than it was.
• The Rotunda is circular. It has an internal diameter of 43.43m.
A massive circular foundation 4.5m deep supports the
concrete wall of the Rotunda. The concrete wall is faced with
bricks.
• The wall is 6- 7m thick, but it is solid. It consists of an
elaborate construction system of buttresses and niches.
• In addition, a series of concrete steps are provided on the
outside to protect the dome.
• The dome has a stepped profile. The only natural light enters
the rotunda through the unglazed oculus of diameter 8.23m.
• The wall is covered with marble and porphyry inside. The
inner surface of the dome is coffered in five rows of 28. The
coffers reduce the weight of the dome. They are also
decorative.
Colosseum
 Colosseum
The Colloseum or Flavian Amphitheatre was
begun by Vespasian, inaugurated by Titus in
80 A.D.
Built over a great artificial lake, which was a
part of Nero’s palace its practical and efficient
organization for producing spectacles and
controlling large crowds make it one of the
great architectural monuments achieved by the
ancient Romans .
The Flavian Amphitheatre was
damaged by fire and earthquake several times
but was continually restored until the end of
the 5th century
 Colosseum

•The elliptical building is immense,

measuring 188m by 156m and
reaching a height of more than 48
meter (159 ft).
•The Colosseum could
accommodate some 55,000
spectators who could enter the
building through no less than 80
entrances.
 Coloseum
It has an elliptical
(oval) plan with a
length of 189m (620
feet), height 48m
(158 feet) and width
156m (512 feet).
The central area of
the arena is 88m
(287 ft) long and
55m (180 ft) wide.
The wall
surrounding the
Arena and
protecting the
spectators was 5m
(15 ft) high.
The Arena of the Colosseum
The arena floor was wooden and covered with sand. It was
entered from the basement of the Colosseum by stairways
completed during the era of the Emperor Domitian. This
basement area also housed the arenas service quarters where
scenery was stored and hoisted upwards for spectacles.
The gladiatorsmade their way to the basement via an
underground corridor situated to the east which connected the
two buildings.
The arena measures 76 by 44 metres, it had a floor made with
wooden planks covered with yellow sand taken from the hill of
Monte Mario.  Over 100.000 cubic metres of travertine stone
(45.000 only for the external wall), quarried near Tibur (today
Tivoli), were used for the building
The exterior of the Roman Colosseum is made entirely of travertine,
stretching 527 m around and four stories high. The arches of the second and
third stories were originally filled with statues.
The ancient Roman Colosseum was designed (using the principle of
the Arch. There are 80 entrance arches that run along the perimeter of the
external and internal walls and many more also run to the center (like
spokes from a bicycle wheel) creating the internal corridors and tunnels that
run around the structure .
The interior is made of brick, tufa and marble; little of the marble
survives today. The central area, the arena, was covered with a great wooden
floor and canvas to make it waterproof. Over this was a layer of sand to
absorb blood - in fact "arena" derives from the Latin word for sand. The
floor is now exposed down to its underground passages, where beasts and
gladiators awaited their fate, and crossed by a modern walkway.
The arena was surrounded by a 5m-high wall to protect spectators
from attacks by wild beasts. At the top of the wall was the podium, on which
the imperial party and other VIPs had their seats.
Seating was strictly
according to social
class, the closer to the
central arena, the
higher your rank in
society. The emperor
and Vestal Virgins
occupied boxes at the
central narrowest
points of the stadium,
while the senators
would sit at the same
level at the ends of the
stadium. Next up were
the nobel men and
knights, then the
wealthy citizens and
then the poorer
plebeians (citizens).
 Colosseum

 The structure of the Colosseum

consisted of 4 levels. The first three
levels consisted of 80 arcades with
frames of various column types.
 The arcades at grounds level
consisted of half Doric columns,
with Ionic columns on the next level
and Corinthian on the level after
that. The fourth level consisted of
rectangular columns known as
Corinthian piliasters