Ancient Greek Culture: The Old Temple In Athens, Greece

Greek and Roman architecture is truly amazing. They each had great ideas, and fabulous productions. It is said that the Pantheon is to Italy what the Parthenon is to Greece. Both are tremendous monuments that reek of culture and history. Each had a purpose which was displayed by the design and construction of each. There are such great meanings behind each of these architecural structures. The Romans and the Greeks alike worshipped and dedicated their structures and designs to the Gods and Goddess they believed in.

Ancient Greek architecture dates from around 800 BCE when the site of Delphi first obtained a religious significance. The architecture of Ancient Greece has influenced the architecture of the past two millennia most significantly that of Ancient Rome (Hemingway, 2003). Greek architecture influenced Roman architecture in extensive ways, giving that the Romans adopted and incorporated many Greek methods and elements into their own practice. Although the Romans were inspired by the Greek there are still many differences in their architecture most noticeably through materiality. Although the Greeks constructed many types of buildings the most recognisable “Greek” structure is the temple. (Becker, 2015) As stated by Coleen Hemingway in an article for the Metropolitan Museum of Art “ the Greek temple best exemplifies the aims and methods of Greek Architecture”. Whilst exploring such architecture it is necessary to examine the mentality, religious beliefs and driving forces of each civilization. According to Stierlin “Unlike the Greek temple, essentially a structure for the play of light and shade, with little interior space accommodating a small sanctuary, Roman builders typically used arches, vaults, matching domes

In the tenth century B.C.E., Greek temple was made of ephemeral materials such as wood and mud brick. In the eighth century B.C.E., the Greek architecture begins to move from ephemeral materials to permanent material like stone. In the fifth century B.C.E., the Greek city-states were engaging in the show of resources. An example is the Athenians that invested substantial resources in the building of their temple to honor their gods. In addition, architecture was affected immensely in the process of uplifting the temple in the later century. Greeks re-used temples by remodeling it. Building a new structure on existing

Greek and Roman temples are very similar in structure, however they have their differences as well. Lets

Temples were based off the post and lintel system. They were made out stone and marble and consisted of tall, defined columns which were lined up around the entire temple. Temples were originally painted and usually carved with leaves, flowers, scenes of battles, mythological creatures, and narratives. They served as homes for gods and goddesses who protected and sustained the community. There was typically a statue of a god or goddess standing or sitting in the center of the temple. Greek designers sought perfection; the temples had to be ideal aesthetically and they had to appeal to the gods and goddesses. Only priests were usually allowed in the temple to contribute to the upkeep and perform rituals on behalf of the community. Public participation was limited to taking part in religious festivals and

Within these temples, religious ceremonies were not held as we hold mass in a church. Instead, the temple for each god and goddess were considered the living place of whoever it was built in honor to. The most notable would the be the temple to Athena which is showcased in the photo to the left . In each temple, a statue of the god was placed for worshipers to live

It is very clear that ancient buildings can be a part of the evidence to show what happed in the history. As a part of ancient culture, architectural languages have the significant vale in both culture and construction. The temple of Hera, which becomes the sign of Greek classic architecture even the whole Europe, plays an important role in the Greece history and culture . This essay will start an analysis from the structure and component of the temple of hera to present that how can cultural factors affect the form and functions of a building.

The life of Greeks was dominated my religion. This explains why Greek temples were the most beautiful, and largest type of architecture. The temples served for a political purpose, as they were built to honour civic power and pride. Another purpose of the temples is to praise the patron diety of a city for their success in war. The temples in Greece vary under three main divisions of architectural type. These divisions, or systems, are called orders. The first order of temples is called Doric. Doric temples are the most sturdy, and have a plain structure. They are found mostly within mainland Greece. The most popular Doric temple is the Temple of Athena Parthenos. She was a Greek goddess of wisdom, also referred to as the virgin. It was built

When exploring each of the specific elements that make up the Greek culture, one can see that their history of religion is vast. To understand the religious practices of the Ancient Greeks, we must first begin to examine the cultural practices. I will be describing Greek religion as it was practiced in the Archaic and Classical Period, which ranged around 800 B.C. to 323 B.C. When discussing the Classical Period we enter the realm of polytheism which has no attachment to church or body of dogma. Although the Greeks believed in multiple gods, there was no denying that the conduct of the gods was not all acceptable to Greek thought. The Greeks kept mythological stories of the gods at heart, but relied on having the ability to think rationally, or have ‘human reason.’ This was the Greek way and it was their idea of rational thinking. When it came to living, the primary aim of Greek life is health and goodness. In order to gain this, they had to have religious sacrifices. I would like to discuss these religious practices of Ancient Greek worship, sacrifice, holidays and burials because it is important to learn about and from one of the greatest cultures in history.

The Altar of Zeus is a giant monument constructed during the reign of King Eumenes II (The Altar of Zeus: Pergamon), which located on a terrace of the Acropolis in Pergamon. Since the Pergamene King regarded his country as the successor of the Greek culture, there were numerous sculptural monuments built to commemorate their military achievement and declare their roles as inheritors of Athens. The Altar of Zeus is one of them, as well as the library and the sanctuary of Athena that are located in the upper part of the altar on the Acropolis (Figure 1, map). Even though the Altar of Zeus is molded on Greek antique, it is different in many aspects because the Pergamene not only looks back to the glory of Athens, but also looks ahead to

Sea is a big part of cultural life in Greece, it makes sense that many of the gods and goddesses in Greek mythology originated in the water. Though most of us think of the Olympian gods and goddesses when we think about Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses of the sea were also important parts

Some rules that the Greek culture follows are that before proposing, the man has to ask the woman's father for her hand in marriage. Both the bride and groom’s family gives presents to the bride and groom. Like in the United States, couples exchange wedding rings/bands that are worn on the ring finger of the left hand.

Know as one of the greatest civilization of the ancient world, Greek is responsible for many architectural contributions such as the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders influencing building around the world in different periods through out history. Architecture played and important role in ancient Greek society. Dominated by religion, ancient Greece erected structures to celebrate their gods and victories in war. In this essay each paragraph will describe a single concept that will discuss and question the historical conditions, the motivations to build places like this, the political views, technical and aesthetical concerns as well as architecture in general. Although each building is unique and the place was construct for public space or in the name of religion; each paragraph will include a description of each building as well as its function. The resources for the research will include online sources, as well as book sources.

A temple is “an edifice or place dedicated to the service or worship of a deity or deities.” (Dictionary.com, 2017). They date as far back as 6th century and can be found around the globe today. Greek and Roman architecture are known for their detail, design, and beautiful history. Over the years these architectural particulars have been borrowed into modern designs. Some modern buildings that have use these design details, include places of worships. The Parthenon and the Pantheon are both temples that have many similarities and differences, but come from two different nations.

Greek culture has been around for thousands of years. This culture has translated many different practices into modern day times. The colonization and culture of the Greeks is something to be admired. There are plenty of things that could be said regarding the greeks, but the main things that will be covered are: The evolution of Greek history, the militarization of the Greeks, and the decline of the greek states.