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Comparing Ancient Greece And Rome

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Unit 2: AHIST 1401 Written Assignment

Ancient Greece and Rome are known for the architecture of their buildings including temples. The Parthenon in Athens is a Doric peripteral temple on the Athenian Acropolis in Greece which was dedicated to the goddess Athena. The Pantheon is also a former temple but located in Rome, Italy. It is now used a church and is the most preserved and influential building in Ancient Rome. (Rome.Info, n.d.) Although both former temples, they have not only similarities but a few differences as well. Both were built in different styles and their functions have different purposes as well. However, looking at the styles and functions, we can interpret how they are examples of Greek and Roman culture.

The Parthenon’s …show more content…
(Sakoulas, 2014) It seems that after reading and researching the architecture of this building, a lot of Athenian specifics were incorporated in the elements of the architecture. Greeks paid attention to detail and were said to “have an understanding of a mathematically explained harmony in the natural world.” (Wikipedia, n.d) Since Athenians had culture, philosophy, arts, they incorporated their buildings and temples with such elements that made them feel set apart from the barbarians. The Parthenon is built in the Doric style which means that it has a rectangular floor plan with low steps and a colonnade of Doric columns which extended the periphery of the entire structure. Its architectural features include six additional columns in the front, two interior rooms the naos (large room used to house the cult statue) and the opisthosomas (smaller room used as treasury.) The …show more content…
Emperor Hadrian built he Pantheon to replace the burnt down temple built by Marcus Agrippa. The architectural features of the Pantheon include an inscription by Marcus Agrippa; large bronze doors covered in gold, but have since gone missing. A unique fact about the Pantheon is that is has been used since it was built. It was gifted to Pope Boniface the IV in A.D 608 and has since been used as a church. The building is comprised of a series of intersecting arches that rest on eight piers which support eight round -headed arches that run through the drum from its inner floor level that also houses statues. (Rome Info, n.d.) The Pantheon’s architectural structure contains an enormous oculus or dome that Rome has become infamous for. No other building in in Rome has come close to its size, and below this oculus rests a rotunda that is completely round. Its purpose has never been officially confirmed, however, since Pope Boniface the IV, its massive structure has been continually used as a church. Its large dome and rotunda, the statues and columns, the Roman bronze lining that is still used as the main source of light today, has made this building what it is today. Rome Info says that “as the earth turns the light flows in to circle the interior making the viewer aware of the magnificence of the cosmos. The oculus was never covered and rain falls into the interior

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