Greek to Roman Architecture

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

Just before you go to sleep, you image yourself taking a ride to the White House. You then notice it's beautiful columns. As you look through columns, this type of architecture is ancient Greek. There are other place to find these Greek columns. Besides architecture, other developments from ancient civilizations have an impact on our world today, such as roads and Gregorian calendar.

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.

The Rome’s Pantheon and Greek’s Parthenon are both significant and innovative structures that have influenced the architecture around the world. This essay will describe the style and function of each building as well as the similarities and differences between ancient Greece and Rome in four characters including history, design, usage, and similarity.

One of the main areas that we can see the influence of the Greeks in the Roman Empire is through the architecture that they used. Both Greece and Rome have some of the most beautiful architectural buildings in the world. The two that are most notable is the Parthenon in Greece and the Pantheon in Rome. The Romans picked up on the Greeks most favorite form of architect: the arch. “The arch constituted a clear technological advance over the post-and-lintel construction used by the Greeks in buildings like the Parthenon”

Ancient cultures left their stamp in history through their conquest, economic development, scientific advance and arts, being Greek and Rome remarkable cultures that excel in the universal history by the power exerted over their neighbors and contenders. I must point out that (The Cultural Connection between Rome and Conquered Greece ) “although Rome conquered the land of Greece, many scholars throughout history, such as the Roman poet Horace, have noted that the culture of Greece appears to have conquered Rome by integrating itself into Roman culture.” The biggest Greek influence over Rome comes tie to the arts, specifically to the sculpture and architecture, and in this case I will analyze the similarities and difference between two iconic buildings in both

“The Romans retained many ideas about buildings from their Etruscan predecessors, but they also absorbed some of the ideas of the Greek that were passed onto them by the Etruscans” (Bleiberg, 2005). When looking back in time, the basic style of architecture that the Greek, Roman and Etruscans used was different but also similar in a few ways such as techniques, materials, structures, etc. For instance, when Roman architectures began to build their first temple of their time, they based the structure off the Etruscans temple. Due to the fact that their structures promoted an openness to them unlike the Greek temples. When looking at these styles closer, the Greek architecture was known for their use of columns and colonnade, but the Roman architecture was known for their use of arches and vaults.

The Romans were great admirers of the Greek culture, and down the road they merged their art and knowledge into their own ways of living. Roman and Greek mythology are almost identical except their actual language is different. The Romans brought in artist from all over Greece to work in their areas so therefore Roman art work looked just like Greek art both in architecture and sculpture. The most important invention in the Roman architecture was the Arch, and thanks to the arch the development of the aqueduct “water conduct” was created.

Ancient Greece had a very large impact on todays’ modern world. The Greeks developed many amazing inventions, and ideals that have shaped our society. The various fields that were advanced include architecture, democracy, philosophy, science, and social occurrences (arts, sports, etc.). The Greeks were very traditional in their dwelling structures and established three very prominent architectural designs that are still used today. These designs include the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles. The most notable, the Doric style is described by its vertical columns, and the slightly sloped plain roof. The Ionic and Corinthian styles are more intricate and detailed, being dominant during their respectable architectural periods. A famous example would be the Parthenon, the building has withstood the test of time since the 5th century BCE. The style is very notable in the United States, representing buildings of power or high status, the White House being the most prominent example. Comparatively the ancient Chinese style of architecture has stayed in the culture it was brought up in;

The Arch and Dome were the most distinctive features of the ancient Roman architecture. Roman buildings significantly differed from those of Greek and so the new architectural style was created. Mainly because of high population densities and wealth in the cities, the ancient Romans discovered their own architectural solutions. In particular, they applied arches and vaults as well as building materials enabling them to attain the unprecedented progress in the construction of public structures. The Colosseum, the basilicas, the Baths of Caracalla and the baths of Diocletian, the aqueducts of Rome, the Pantheon, are all relevant proofs of genuinely Roman architectural innovations. These impressive buildings all served important public functions, In contrast to Greek aesthetic axioms; these objectives were attained with a wide scope of public effect. Roman architects and civil engineers used the skills necessary to build the best possible roads, bridges, baths, forums, theaters, etc. The works of the roman architects are so sufficient that they still stand today. These include arches, columns, roads, and buildings, such as theaters, amphitheaters, and circuses, which were designed for recreation. The Romans eagerly embraced Greeks’ sophistication, so much that it became the foundation. In one respect, however, Rome’s arched construction, in which a roof is

Greek life was based on religion, which led to the creation of the biggest and most beautiful temples. Alongside with strong religion came political purpose in which they built temples to demonstrate civic power. Greek society eventually was broken in free people and slaves and the slaves were owned by the free people. They were used for labor without any right at all. Slavery was eventually ended throughout the many years.

One geographical factor that impacted Rome was agriculture. The soil on the Italian Peninsula was rich because of the volcanic ash. The soil and the mild climate helped the Romans grow surplus olives and grain. (Robinson, N, n.d.) For example, having a reliable food production allowed the population to grow, and trading in olives helped the Romans economy to expand even more. Without agriculture, Rome might have slipped into insignificance without leaving its footprint in history. (Robinson, N, n.d.) One geographical factor that impacted Greece was mountains and the seas. The mountains worked as barriers to separate their different locations creating regionalism, which meant different cities developed separately of one another. The soil in

A plethora of Roman art and Roman architecture is actually a reflection of Greek influences. Many people get the two mixed together. Even so, they are different in certain aspects. Greece is famous for architecture like the Parthenon and Rome is famous for structures such as the Coliseum. Roman architecture is primarily more ornate than that of the Greeks. The Greeks used many columns in their architecture, whereas the Romans preferred domes and arches (“Greek and Roman Architecture of Antiquity”).

From the Parthenon to De Architectura written by the Roman Architect Vitruvius, major developments in Architecture emerged from the Greeks from third century B.C. and by the Romans up until early century A.D. from style, design, purpose, and innovative ideas. While ranging from the Greeks’ emphasis on lighting and proportions, to the Romans who preferred big, massive, and impressive structures such as the Coliseum in Rome and the Temple of Zeus in Athens, both civilizations are a model even in today’s world. When it comes to creating massive, impressive, and near perfect architectural structures, the Greeks and Romans were some of the best. But how impressive were these societies in a sense of Architecture?

As the saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” however long it took to build the capital, the days, months, years, centuries of work can be viewed as a long lasting landmark which paved the way for new and challenging architecture to come (How Roman architecture influenced modern architecture [sa]). According to Tony Rook (2013: [sp] ch.2) the typical Roman temple shows the Etruscan tradition combined with the Greek one. Although some of their premature concepts were acquired from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, Roman architects transformed the body of architecture for all time to come, offering buildings and structures that has never been before, along the side of public buildings and infrastructure that could be used by