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When work began on the Parthenon in 447 BC, the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. Work on the temple continued until 4; the Parthenon, then, represents the tangible and visible efflorescence of Athenian imperial power, unencumbered by the depredations of the Peloponnesian War. Likewise, it symbolizes the power and influence of the Athenian politician, Perikles, who championed its construction.
Some historians believe that Athens concluded a peace treaty with Persia in 44, two years before work began on the Parthenon. The significance of this would be that the Delian League/Athenian Empire continued to exist, even after the reason for its existence (a mutual defense league against the Persians) had ceased to be valid. In other words it was now openly acknowledged that Athens was not just the head of the Greek defense league but actually an imperial master over other Greek states. The decision by the Athenians in 454 BC to move the League treasury from the Panhellenic sanctuary at Delos to the Athenian acropolis points in the same direction. Because the Parthenon was built with League funds, the building may be read as an expression of the confidence of the Athenians in this newly naked imperialism. But the piety of this undertaking should not be underestimated; the Persians had sacked the temples on the Athenian acropolis in 480, and rebuilding them fulfilled, in Burys words, the Athenians debt of gratitude to heaven for the defeat of the Mede.
The Parthenon is a Doric peripteral temple, which means that it consists of a rectangular floor plan with a series of low steps on every side, and a colonnade (8 x 17) of Doric columns extending around the periphery of the entire structure. Each entrance has an additional six columns in front of it. The larger of the two interior rooms, the naos, housed the cult statue. The smaller room (the opisthodomos) was used as a treasury. Here is a plan of the temple
It was built to replace two earlier temples of Athena on the Acropolis. One of these, of which almost no trace remains today, stood south of the Parthenon (between the Parthenon and the Erechtheum). The other, which was still being built at the time of the Persian sack in 480, was on the same spot as the Parthenon. We know the names of the architects (Iktinos and Kallikrates) and also of the sculptor (Pheidias) who made the massive chryselephantine cult statue of the goddess.
The three main types of columns used in Greek temples and other public buildings are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The truest and most basic difference among the orders has to do with proportions (Doric columns, for example, being thicker and shorter, Ionic columns taller and slimmer). As a shortcut, the orders may be distinguished most easily by their capitals (the tops of the columns). As you can see from the following examples, the Doric capital has the simplest design; the Ionic has the curlicues called volutes, and the Corinthian has the acanthus leaves
Doric CapitalIonic Capital Corinthian Capital
Doric is not only a type of column, but an order; this means that temples of the Doric order not only have this type of column, but also have a certain structure at the upper levels. The different types of orders (column plus entablature) are illustrated by these diagrams, from Perseus Doric order, and Ionic order. The Doric order is characterized by the series of triglyphs and metopes on the entablature. Each metope was occupied by a panel of relief sculpture.
The Parthenon combines elements of the Doric and Ionic orders. Basically a Doric peripteral temple, it features a continuous sculpted frieze borrowed from the Ionic order, as well as four Ionic columns supporting the roof of the opisthodomos.
The term Parthenon means apartment of the virgin. The goddess Athena was clever; resourceful; and, for a maiden, rather ferocious. Athena was the armed protector of all Greek poleis, not only Athens. She was the daughter of Zeus and Metis (meaning cunning). Discovering Metiss pregnancy, and fearful that their child might prove mightier than himself, Zeus swallowed Metis whole. A tremendous headache ensuing, Zeus got another god to split open his skull and out sprang Athena, full grown with spear in hand. In the Greek epic Iliad, Athenas warlike qualities are apparent as she sternly thwarts Aphrodite, goddess of erotic desire, and Aphrodites pawns, the ill-fated lovers Paris and Helen of Troy. Athenas devious cunning inspired Odysseus, hero of the epic Odyssey, to build the Trojan Horse. In striking contrast, Athena was also the patron of peaceful handicrafts. To honor her patronage of weaving, every four years, at the climax of the Panathenaic Festival, Athenian women presented a special garment called a peplos to the ancient wooden cult statue of her at a temple on the Acropolis. One of her symbols was the owl, which Athenians imprinted on their coins. Athenas reputation as the goddess of respectable wisdom was a later addition, strengthened by her role as patron of the Athens that brought classical Greek civilization to its height.
The Parthenon and Pantheon both had similarities they both were very different in the same way.The way they were constructed, the way they were used, and what each one of them stood for in their cultures.Some of the contrasts of the two are what I would like to discuss in the following.
Imagine asking a five-year-old to draw a picture of a house. A native Floridian probably wouldn't draw the typical split-plan design with a tile roof and a screened-in lanai. The extent of the child's artistic ability would probably consist of a box with a triangle on top of it. As fundamental as it sounds, the use of this structure has a long history dating back to ancient Greece. The classical Greek temple, the Parthenon, made use of this design and influenced (the still rather different) Roman Pantheon. These buildings are excellent examples of how architectural style reflects the culture of its creators and studying their relationship highlights how the ancient Mediterranean world affected modern Western architecture. The remains of the Parthenon, built between 447 and 48 BC, rest on Greece's southeast peninsula called Attica. At one time, this architectural giant sat on top of the Acropolis in Athens. The thick Doric columns numbered eight on each short side. The furnishings were rather simple and the columns were just thick enough to look awkward. These traits made the building look heavy, yet sturdy. The temple housed the main icons of the wealthiest Greek city-state, a statue of Athena and the city's treasury. Leading up to the foundation was an enormous set of stairs which, compared to the people who visited it, may have been twice their height. The huge staircase wasn't just a sign of the Athenian grandeur- when combined with its position on top of the steep acropolis the Parthenon was very well guarded. Around the inner chambers, but still inside the outer Doric columns, was a type of wrap-around porch or breezeway. This kind of open space was evident in most of the buildings on the Acropolis. It allowed citizens to gather and discuss ideas, politics and economics in the first major civilization not ruled by a monarch. The Parthenon was made entirely out of marble, but it was either cheaply made or the technology was not advanced enough to make it smooth and time resistant. Today, the temple lies in ruins. The foundation and many of the columns still stand, but the roof and carved designs are all but missing. The Pantheon, built in Rome around AD 16, is in great condition yet today. More massive than the Parthenon, the exterior of the Pantheon still looks smoother. The eight Corinthian columns that line the front entrance are not as intrusive as the Doric columns of ancient Greece. They are thinner and ornately decorated. Also, the Pantheon gains its giant size because of its high walls, not by resting its foundation on a mountainous staircase. Again, this makes the temple more delicate than the Parthenon and this difference also infers that the Romans felt much more secure from the dangers of invasion. Unlike the Parthenon that was destroyed by enemies, the Pantheon still stands content. Continuing inside, the walls of the Pantheon are intrinsically a genius of splendor. They are decorated with ornate designs of Corinthian columns and mock windows. The beauty of the three dimensional wall fixtures is exemplified by sunlight let in by the large oculus at its zenith. Although the Parthenon has not survived time, its design has greatly affected our modern world. The children's design mentioned earlier is similar to the post-and-lintel construction used by the Greeks in the Parthenon and other structures. In this design, the vertical columns and horizontal beams form the square. The triangle on top (probably developed to improve water runoff) forms a pediment on both ends where it touches the beams. The general design of the Pantheon utilizes post-and-lintel construction for the main entrance, but the large dome that makes up the bulk of the area dwarfs this. Domes and arcs are used in many of the surviving Roman structures because their shape makes them very strong. These innovations are so well noted that Volkswagen commercials have compared the strength and space utilization of the New Beetle to these well-known structures. Like the basic design of the Greek Parthenon, Roman architecture also has a great influence over culture two millenniums later. The Greek Parthenon was a triumph of its time. Its practical function has given shape to buildings ever since. It was used as a bank, civic center, temple and museum. These are the kinds of buildings that line modern streets. Its rustic style gave way to domes and Corinthian columns but its fundamental design continues through the ages. As for the Pantheon, it still stands as a marvelous museum because of its strength in design and awe inspiring shape.
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