Ancient Greek civilization
Dr Mansouri Lamia
DAA.UNIV ALGER1
Contexte géographique et climatique :
Greek civilization developed in a unique geographical environment, marked by a
mountainous terrain that favored the independence of city-states, a
Mediterranean climate conducive to certain agricultural crops such as olive trees
and vines, but limiting fertile land.
The proximity of the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean encouraged maritime
trade, making the Greeks experienced traders and navigators.
This configuration led to a colonial expansion that spread Greek culture and
enriched its exchanges with other civilizations, including the Phoenicians and
Egyptians
Greek architecture emerges in the Aegean Sea, in the middle of
a landscape that is characterized by the great variety of its
natural sites.
Even if there was a certain regularity in Greek settlements, they
were always intended as individual places, which were not
allowed to grow beyond a certain size.
Periods of Greek architecture
Greek Architecture Part 1
Minoan civilization (-2700-1200 BC)
Minoan civilization (-2700-1200 BC)
Transition Period (-1100-800 BC):
Cretan architecture was influenced by contacts with other
Mediterranean cultures, including the Egyptians and
Mesopotamians, which contributed to the richness and
diversity of its style.
Relation with
Greek architecture
The hyphen is established by Mycenaean architecture,
Greek creation is due to Greek and Greek-speaking peoples.
Archaic period VII th to VI century BC:
Transition from wooden construction to stone
construction The first signs of the Doric order
appear.
Classical Period (-480-323 BC):
Developed Architectural Orders:
The Doric Order, the Ionic Order
Parthenon in Athens: Emblematic Example of the Greek
Classical Period Harmony and Symmetry Architecture Part
Hellenistic Period (-323-30 BC): 2
Influence of the East
Stylistic Variety
Minoan architecture
The most emblematic architectural element of Minoan Crete is
the palace. These palaces, such as that of Knossos, Phaistos,
Malia and Zakros, were administrative, economic and cultural
centres.
They were usually built with complex planning elements,
including interior courtyards, storage rooms, residential spaces,
and ceremonial spaces.
Construction process by successive additions in width,
height and depth
Logic of cellular development of architecture, from
room to building, from buildings to their aggregations
into blocks and districts
Cnossos Palace
Lack of Massive Fortifications: Unlike other contemporary
civilizations, Minoan palaces often lacked massive fortifications.
This suggests an approach that focuses on trade and diplomacy
rather than war.
The use of the column and the
pillar. Their function as supports to
divide the interior space of the
rooms, their decorative role on the
loggias and baldachins.
The Minoans did not develop architectural orders as formal and
standardized as the classical Greek columns.
The Minoans did not
develop architectural orders
as formal and standardized
as the classical Greek
columns.
Minoan columns may sometimes not have a clearly defined capital.
Minoan columns were often decorated with murals or decorative
paintings. These colorful decorations sometimes included geometric
patterns, representations of nature, or scenes of everyday life.
Around the year 1500 BC, the eruption of the Ida Volcano
(southwest of Knossos) caused the destruction of the palaces and
the fall of local power. It was during this period that the island was
invaded and occupied by a warrior people from Greece: the
Mycenaeans
Architecture mycennienne
Between the seventeenth and twelfth centuries BC the Achaeans
settled in Crete, founding many cities: Mycenae, Argos, Tiryns,
Pylos... etc
Mycenaean architecture has several distinctive characteristics:
Fortified Citadels: The Mycenaeans built fortified citadels on
strategic hills or heights. These citadels often housed royal
palaces, residences, and storage spaces.
The City of Trynthus
Cyclopean Walls: The Mycenaeans used cyclopean walls, made
of large, irregular stones, to build defensive structures, citadels,
and sometimes palaces. These massive walls were laid out
without mortar, creating sturdy structures.
Palace, the seat of the royal residence, is located at
the highest point of the citadel which has been
called the acropolis.
Around him, on various levels of terraces, were
public buildings (granaries, cisterns and stores,
shrines and places of worship) and private buildings
(houses of lords and merchants)
Near the palis were the temple, the shops and the
outbuildings
The Mycenaean palaces are an
asymmetrical block that are
characterized by the axial
distribution of several central
elements: entrance propylaeum,
waiting and distribution courtyard,
megaron associated with two lateral
bodies of rooms intended for
administration, the service of the
king and private uses.
The megaron suggested to the Greeks the
device of the cella, the abode of the
divinity, in their temples. A : megaron; B: vestibule; C: porch; D, M, R:
course; E: propylae; F: columned porch; G:
offices; H, J, K: stores; K: bathroom; L: queen's
megaron; N: boudoir; P: toilets; Q: Archives
room.
Megarons: Megarons were central rectangular halls with a foyer and columned porch. These
spaces were used for social and ritual purposes.
The tumulus tombs of Mycenae are characterized by a dome-like
structure called tholos. The burial chamber is usually circular and
topped by a dome-shaped vault. This architectural design was designed
to support the weight of the burial mound that covers the tomb.
In the case of the burial mounds in Mycenae, the corbelled dome
was used to create the roof of the circular burial chamber located
inside the burial mound.
Semicircular
arch corbelled arch
The principle of corbelling makes
it possible to build so-called
corbelled vaults or arches, more Principle of the corbelling technique
easily than the semicircular arch, with blocks simply superimposed
without using wooden arches to protruding and not blocking each
take up the loads during the other (corbelled vault, known as
construction of the structure. "false vault").
Mycenaean cultural traits gradually disappeared after the
twelfth century BC. during the period called the "Dark Ages".
The reasons for this decline have not been elucidated. When
the Greek world experienced a recovery after 1000, it did so
on a new basis, and the ancient Greek civilization
Greek Architecture Part 2
RELIGIOUS FOUNDATIONS
No divine right. Religion will be formed essentially
through Myths. (Legends, popular or literary stories)
Religion is constituted from the bottom up and rises to
the top and becomes a kind of morality.
The myths contributed to the birth of a religious system
characterized first by man's fear of natural phenomena
and then by the strengthening of relations with nature
(myths and gods of Olympus: Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite,
Athena, Ares, Poseidon, etc.)
The harmonious relationship between men was only
possible through the worship of the gods who themselves
guaranteed this balance, in them we found the idealized
attributes of humanity
So the object of Greek thought (literature, science or
philosophy) was to express this harmony in which the Greeks
believed and which constitutes the foundation of the universe.
In the artistic field, the Greeks devoted themselves in their
research to a specific objective, that of recreating beauty and
absolute harmony through a search for ideal proportions, which
took precedence over the creation of all new forms.
Limitation of the field of experience
Architecture will contribute to the search for this
harmony, which will be focused on the construction of a
single building: the temple, which is a building dedicated
to a god with the preoccupation of an ideal form.
This is the concept of limiting the field of experience
Function:
Temple dedicated to a deity Divine dwelling
and not place of worship
Worship: altar near the temple, within an
entrance by propylaea.
Mycenaean megaron Greek temple
A Greek temple is divided into two
parts:
The sekos, the closed part,
surrounded by walls;
The peristyle (Perstasis), the open
part, delimited by a colonnade
The closed part of the temple has at its heart the naos (whose Latin name is cella),
which houses the statue of the deity. D. When the temple is larger, the naos is
preceded by a pronaos which serves as an entrance, and behind the naos is a rear
chamber called the opisthodome.
•The peripteral temple The
"peripteral temple" is the
temple that is surrounded
by columns on each of its
sides. All the great temples
are peripterous: the
Parthenon and the
Theseion (or Hephaisteion)
in Athens, the temples of
Paestum in Magna Graecia,
The Temple of Athena in Paestum
A dipteran temple is a peripteral temple with a double
colonnade (e.g. the temple of Artemis in Ephesus
•Other temple plans –
•A ) The temple in antis has two columns on the facades
between the antes (i.e. the extension of the walls): e.g. the
treasure of the Athenians at Delphi.
•- B ) The prostyle temple has a colonnade on the main façade:
e.g. the treasury of Gela in Olympia
•C ) The amphiprostyle temple has a colonnade on each of its
two facades: e.g. the temple of Athena Nike in Athens.
•D ) The tholos is a round temple: e.g. the tholos of Athena
Pronaia at Delphi
The temple in antis
The prostyle temple
The amphiprostyle temple
The tholos
the Temple of Athena Nike in Athens the tholos of Athena Pronaia at Delphi
The architectonics of the temple are composed of two main
elements: 1- the column as a vertical element
2- the entablature as a horizontal element
They have the function of showing how balance is achieved with
perfect proportions.
The column is composed of three
parts: – the base, the shaft and
the capital
The entablature is composed of
three parts:
– the architrave (beam),
the frieze (filling panel), the
cornice (upper part)
Canons refer to the metrical
relationships that exist on the one
hand between the elements of a
whole and on the other hand between
each element and the whole.
• The calculation of the proportions will
be made from the diameter of the shaft
of the column which will serve as the
basic module for this calculation.
Harmony and proportions through the three
architectural orders:
• the Doric order
• the Ionic order
• the Corinthian order
Ordre dorique
The Doric order is the oldest of the architectural orders in
Greece: it appeared in the seventh century BC
The lower diameter of the column can be
transferred approximately six times on the height.
Column - base pitch, strongly curved fluted
shaft -
capital: Echinus + square abacus
Entablature - smooth architrave
- frieze: triglyphs and metopes
Echinus Abacus
The Temple of Hera in Pasteum
The Temple of Hera in Pasteum
Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion
ORDRE IONIQUE
Appearance in Asia Minor around 560 BC. • Inspired by the
Phoenician, Lydian and Aeolian orders
• Elegant: slender, light, decorated
The lower diameter of the column can be
transferred approximately eight times to the
height of the
Column
- base
-fluted shaft without curve
- volute capital
entablature
- banded architrave
- frieze
: 1 – entablature, 2 – column, 3 – pediment, 4 – frieze, 5 –
architrave or epistyle, 6 – capital (composed of abacus and
volutes), 7 – shaft, 8 – base, 9 – stylobate, 10 – krepis
Temple of Athena Poliades in Athens
The Temple of Artemis (Ephesus)
ORIGINE
• Known from the classical period (end
of the fifth century BC)
• Very rarely used before the
Hellenistic period
• Variety of Ionic with floral capitals
SPECIFICITY: CAPITAL
-higher than the Ionic one: basket
of flowers
- double row of acanthus leaves
surmounted by 4 volutes
- sometimes, palmette or rosette
between the volutes
oDoric: important temples, outer porticoes •
o Ionic: small temples, inner colonnades
•Asia Minor: Ionic predominant •
•Magna Graecia, Sicily: Doric predominant
• Greece: Ionic and Doric
The golden ratio (φ\phiφ, about 1.618) has been associated with Greek architecture
because of the harmony and ideal proportions it embodies.
•The Parthenon, built in the fifth
century BC, is often cited as an
example of the golden ratio being
used. The dimensions of the
façade and the different parts of
the building (such as the
relationship between its height,
width, and the arrangement of
the columns) are close to the
golden ratio.
•For example, the ratio between The architect of the Parthenon is
the width of the façade (69.5 m) Phidias
and its height (30.9 m) is close to
φ\phiφ (golden ratio)
The Parthenon, the monumental work of Phidias, located on the Acropolis of Athens, is
one of the most emblematic monuments of ancient Greece. Built between 447 and 432
BC, it is dedicated to the goddess Athena, the protector of the city. This Doric temple, with
Ionic elements, reflects the heyday of Greek art and architecture.
1. The temple as we see it.
2. The temple as we would see it if it were
built with straight lines.
3. The temple as it is built so that we only
see straight lines.
Its structure is convex, The columns of the façade are leaning inwards, because if they
were perfectly vertical, the eye would see them tilted outwards.
The columns therefore all tend towards a vanishing point located very high above the
building; which implies that the outermost columns are also the most inclined.
The base, the steps and the pediment are also convex
Diagram showing the curvatures of the
building.
In order to appear equidistant, other columns were unevenly spaced.
The corner columns have a larger diameter so as not to appear smaller
Entasis is an architectural technique
that consists of slightly bulging the
shaft of columns.
This is to compensate for an optical
illusion that would give the viewer the
impression that the sides of the
columns are concave if they were
perfectly straight.
Urbanisme dans la Grèce antique
From 480 BC, the anarchic layout of the cities was replaced by a
predetermined layout whose initiator was Hippodamies of
Miletus.
Hippodamos introduced an urban development plan that
opposed the chaotic layout of the cities of his time. His approach
was more orderly and focused on a planned structure for the city.
1. Grid: Hippodamos is known for developing the grid method,
with straight streets and a system of streets intersecting at right
angles. This allowed for a more fluid flow and a clear spatial
organization of the city.
2. Zoning: He also introduced the idea of zoning, where different
parts of the city were reserved for specific functions. For
example, there were residential areas, public spaces,
commercial districts, etc.
3. Street hierarchy: Main streets were generally wider and more
important, while secondary streets were narrower.
4. Design of public spaces: Hippodamos has also given
importance to public spaces, such as squares, parks and
government buildings, by functionally integrating them into
the urban design.
5. Planning with an Aesthetic and Functional Focus: His plan was
both practical and aesthetically pleasing, seeking to provide a
better quality of life for residents while creating an orderly and
pleasing appearance to the city.
The approach of Hippodamos of Miletus was influential in the
development of Western urbanism and served as the basis for
many future urban plans. His idea of grid and zoning was adopted
in many Greek and Roman cities, as well as in other cultures
throughout the centuries (the hygienists in the 19th century)
Several ancient Greek cities were designed or redeveloped
following the characteristic Hippodamian grid plan:
•Milet
• Priène
•Olynthe
•Éphèse
Ephese
Le théâtre :
Le deuxième monument
emblématique de l’architecture
grecque
La particularité des théâtres grecs
est d’être construits, en un lieu qui
dès le départ est apte à être taillé
en gradins, offrant ainsi une
excellente qualité acoustique.
Vitruve en a établi le plan type,
avec son arc de 240°, alors que le
théâtre romain ne dépasse pas les
180°. La pente y est très raide
(environ 30°).
Bleachers
A Greek theatre is
composed of: the
orchestra, a circular area.
Seats of priests and judges
Altar
Entrance Scene Entrance
Entrée ou
In the center of it is an or parados orparados
parados
altar, called the thymele
and erected to the glory
of Dionysus (god of the
theater).
All the tiers form the koïlon (or theatron): they are installed in the hollow of a hill.
The seats were allocated according to social categories, The first row is distinguished
from the others by more monumental seats, in marble, with backrests, the proédries
.
proskénion
The Skéné, a small building that serves as a backstage and has 3 doors and the
Proskénion, a narrow and long wooden platform where the actors performed.
GREEK HOUSES.
Classical period
• Stone houses with living rooms at the end of
a courtyard
• Main room: adapted megaron
Hellenistic period
• Oriental plan: rooms arranged around a
central courtyard with portico (future Roman
atrium)
