Ancient Greece: The Cradle of Western Civilization
1. Date: 22 April 2016
Abhinand GopalTHE DEMOCRACY
THE CLASSICAL
GREEK CIVILISATION
2. PANTHALASSA
The Greek Islands
PANGEA
Plate Tectonics Movement
200 mil years ago
apes started descending
to the land from trees,
attaining upright posture
and rotating the thumb
3. Greece: a country in the E. Mediterranean Sea made of small islands and having a long indented coastline
7. Archaic Greece (800- 480BC) Hellenic (480-323 BC) Hellenistic (323- 146 BC)Dark Ages of Greece
Archaic Greece: lays foundations for the classical period of architecture, society & culture
Hellenic Period: often referred to as the Classical Architecture Building & Classical Philosophy period of the
Greeks (Socrates & Plato)
Hellenistic Period: the decline of the Greek empire to the conquest of the Roman Empire
unknown 1100 - 800 BC
Timeline of Ancient Greece
8. HELLENIC PERIOD ENDS WITH THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER
HELLENISTIC PERIOD BEGINS IN 323 BC, WHEN THE GREEK EMPIRE IS
DIVIDED AMONGST GENERALS WITH NO APPARENT HEIR OF ALEXANDER
9.
10. What is the first thing that comes to mind about Greece other than Alexander, the Great?
11.
12. The Olympic Games were a series of athletic competitions among representatives
of city-states and one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece. They were held
in honour of Zeus, every 4 years from 776 BC to 394 AD, when it was abolished.
18. FACTORS INFLUENCING HUMAN SOCIETY & ARCHITECTURE
▸ natural factors - geography, geology, climate
▸ civilisation factors - religion, social structure, technology &
history of the group, economy
geography: availability
of water, fertile soil &
natural barriers
geology: building
materials &
construction
climate: building design &
orientation, presence of
fenestrations (doors,
windows)
19. NATURAL FACTORS
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
▸ Mediterranean climate.
▸ Unique geography of Greece
develops local micro-climates.
▸ Highest Peak: Mt. Olympus
▸ Dry & hot summers - wet winters
▸ Mainly consists of the peninsula &
the islands in the Aegan Sea
▸ rocky and barren, bad for
agriculture. People lived along
coastlines.
20.
21. CIVILISATION FACTORS
DEMOCRACY & RELIGION
▸ Greeks created their own gods
▸ Invented the concept of
‘DEMOCRACY’: a system of
government by elected
representatives of the citizens.
▸ new political system of city states, they ruled as independent nations.
▸ fast paced population growth in the city states & competition
▸ advocating political, economic & legal equality which was missing
during the dark ages.
▸ slaves did exist, but they did not enjoy the same rights as citizens did.
23. Zeus: God of Sky; Hades: god of Underworld; Poseidon: god of the Sea & horses;
Athena: daughter of Zeus & Hera; Apollo: God of Truth, Music & Prophecy. Artemis: Goddess of hunt, wildlife &
protection, twin sister of Apollo; Helios: Sun God; Selene: Moon God, sister of Helios; Ares: God of War,
Aphrodite: Goddess of Love
THE YOUNG GODS: THIRD ORDER OF HUMAN BEINGS AFTER THE TITANS & PRIMARIES
24. “I have set eyes on the wall of
lofty Babylon on which is a road
for chariots, and the statue of
Zeus by the Alpheus, and the
hanging gardens, and the
Colossus of the Sun, and the
huge labour of the high pyramids,
and the vast tomb of Mausolus;
but when I saw the house of
Artemis that mounted to the
clouds, those other marvels lost
their brilliancy, and I said, 'Lo,
apart from Olympus, the Sun
never looked on aught so grand.’
— Antipater of Sidon, Greek poet
in 2nd century BC
Statue of Zeus, Olympia, 435 BC by Greek sculptor
Phidias
27. GODDESS OF VICTORY - IS PERSONIFED WITH WINGS, THE DIVINE CHARIOTEER IN THE WAR AGAINST THE TITANS
a famous brand has taken her personality & attributes. the logo has been derived from her wings. guess?
Goddess & Zeus on the Silver Medal of the
first Olympics 1896 AD, Rear: Acropolis
32. The concept of sister states to promote healthy competition
33. ▸ started with Crete, which built the
first naval empire
▸ introduced to “thalassocracy” to the
world (naval supremacy)
▸ currently world’s third largest cargo
fleet (6% of tonnage)
▸ their technology was highly
advanced
▸ economy revolved around naval
routes & trade of goods
TRADERS & SEA VOYAGERS
GREEK NAVAL POWERS
38. THE ANCIENT TRADE ROUTES SERVED AS A PRECURSOR TO THE SILK ROAD
Ancient trade routes laid the foundations for the Silk Road
by the Han dynasty in 270 BC - 220 AD
43. THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT
THE CLASSICAL GREEK CIVILISATION
▸ The Megaron Plan evolution & the Palace of Knossos
▸ Acropolis & it’s buildings
▸ Different Orders: Architecture Elements & Proportions
▸ Doric Style: Parthenon
▸ Ionic Style: Temple of Nike & Erecthiernon
▸ Corinthian style:
▸ Optical Corrections for buildings & Proportions
44. REPRESENTED WITH 9 LINES REPRESENTING GODDESS MUSE, GODDESS OF ARTS, LITERATURE & SCIENCE
Flag of Greece
45. FEATURES OF
MARBLE STONE
“GREEK ARCHITECTURE
IS CARPENTRY IN STONE”
‣ Exactness, architecture lines can be
best represented
‣ Refinement of Structure
‣ Aesthetics
46. TWO DIVISIONS OF HOUSE BUILDING
▸ first: single room rectangular in shape developed in main
land Greece, areas around Troy
▸ second:
agglomeration
of
asymmetrical
placed rooms
found mostly
in Asia Minor &
island of Crete
49. DUPLEX HOUSES EVOLVED AROUND THE COURTYARD
Gynaeceum: place for women recreation
Andron,
place of
male
members of
the family
Positioned on
lower floor
Kitchen
with
vents
50. THE MEGARON PLAN: ANCIENT ARCHAIC GREECE
The Megaron was the throne room, the above shows a standard Mycenaean Megaron. The
entrance was the feature that helps to distinguish the Megaron. The walls were decorated
with frescos & the roof was made of ceramic tiles, either flat roof or barrel vault roof was
used. The Megaron's functions were many, including poetry, feasts, meetings, and worship.
In the theory of architecture, the Megaron is considered to be the earliest architectural act.
NaosPronaos
51. EVOLUTION OF PERISTYLE TEMPLE
▸ increase in number of
columns
▸ attempt to achieve
grand scale
▸ peristyle plan is the
standard design
concept for a Greek
temple
52. Other examples of temple plans showing the modifications done to the
peristyle plan
53. The citadel of Troy started from the Megaron plan in 2500 BC and evolved into a fortified city
56. TEXT
4 acres/ 1.6 hectares
1 North
Entrance
2 Bastion
4 ante room
5 throne
room
15 gallery
10 Propylea
25 Queen’s
Suite
57.
58.
59. Dialects in
ancient Greece
Ionic was
spoken in the
coastlines, while
the Doric
developed from
Crete & Dorian
Corinth from
which it derives
it’s name
76. Viewing Angle of a person & the spherical aberrations
a tendency for the human eye to perceive curves instead of straight
lines at the distance
77. TYPICAL FEATURE IN GREEK DORIC COLUMNS
METHOD OF ENTASIS
▸ The technique used by Greek
builders: slight convexity in
columns
▸ It is the slight curvature of a
classical column that diminishes as
it rises.
▸ In the doric column of Parthenon:
34’ feet in height & 6’3” feet in
diameter at the bottom, with
convexity of 3-4 inches
▸ Adopted later by the Romans
97. 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 45 79 ….. AN INFINITE SERIES OF NUMBERS
GOLDEN RATIO 1.618
Based on the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ratio describes the
relationship between 2 proportions. Fibonacci numbers follow a
ratio of 1:1.618 ratio - which is referred to as the golden ratio
Throughout history, the ratio of
length & to width of rectangles
has been considered most
pleasing to the eye.
100. A TYPICAL DIAGRAM SHOWING THE GREEK COLUMN
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS OF
CLASSICAL GREEK
ARCHITECTURE
▸ Stylobate
▸ Column + Entablature
▸ Column: Base, Shaft, Capital
▸ Entablature:
▸ Pediment
1. Architrave
2. Frieze: Triglyph + Metope
3. Cornice
101. A stylobate is the top-most step of a Greek temple upon which columns are
placed. While stereobate is used to describe the remaining steps of the platform
beneath the stylobate and just above the levelling course.
Height of the column in
early Greek Temples
1/3 of the width of stylobate=
104. IONIC COLUMN
▸ Doric order obtained its
proportion, its strength, and its
beauty, from the human male.
column height
Entablature
=
=
3 x entablature
1 3/4 of the lower dia.
MASCULINE FORM IN STONE
105. IONIC COLUMN
column height
Entablature
=
=
9 x base dia.
2 1/4 x base dia.
FEMININE FORM IN STONE
▸ temple of artemis
▸ temple of nike
▸ slender columns that are taller
than ionic and rest on the base
106. CORINTHIAN COLUMN: THE LAST PRINCIPAL ORDER
NAMED AFTER THE CITY OF CORINTH
‣ It is the most ornate of the orders,
characterised by slender fluted columns and
elaborate capitals decorated with acanthus
leaves and scrolls.
‣ Developed by architect Callimachus after
being inspired by a basket of flowers on the
grave of a young girl.
‣ The capital represents vegetation.
Shaft height
Entablature
=
=
10 x base dia.
2 1/2 x base dia.
116. The Agora was a central space or square in ancient Greek city-states. The literal meaning of the word is "gathering place"
or "assembly". The agora was the centre of athletic, artistic, spiritual and political life of the city.
118. A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a
column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head.
The Caryatid Porch of the Erechtheion, Athens, 407 BC
130. Sketches Required:
The Classical Greek Civilisation
1. Map of Greece
2. Acropolis Plan understanding
3. Parthenon: Plan, Column Elevation & Optical Correction
4. Ionic, Doric, Corinthian orders
Date of Submission: 1st week of June
Mode of Submission: A3 sketch books
Movies recommended for better visual understanding into Classical Greek Architecture & Democracies: Troy,
300 & Series, Helen of Troy: miniseries, The Greek Tragedy movies: Iphigenia, The Trojan Women & Electra, My
Big Fat Greek Wedding (the house set is interesting, else someday this will become a desi movie), Clash of Titans 2010
131. Date: 29 April 2016
Abhinand GopalTHE MAJESTIC ROMANS
BUILDINGS OF THE ROMAN CIVILISATION