DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9188#0086
64
Architecture
the Ionian Greeks from the East. A crude anticipation of the
volute is found in Phoenician work, and it also appears on
a Hittite relief at Boghaz Keui in the middle of Asia Minor.
Its origin in either case was oriental, and we have here the
other motive in Greek architecture, Eastern, at any rate
exotic, and, as compared with Doric, almost alien to the true
Greek genius. Yet this astonishing people gave it a form as
far removed from its barbarous originals, as the Doric capitals
of the Parthenon from the capitals of the columns of Mycenae,
and when the Greeks of both sides of the Aegean drew together
after the defeat of the Persians, the Ionic order crossed the
sea, and assumed a place of honour iri the temples of Greece,
still, however, with rare exceptions, in subordination to the
Doric order. In the colonies in Asia Minor, the supremacy
of the Ionic order had long been recognized. The Ionic
temple of Hera at Samos, 368 ft. long by 178 ft. wide,
is supposed to have been built at the end of the sixth or early
in the fifth century B.C., and this was the forerunner of the
great fourth-century temples of Ionia, built when Architecture
had changed its direction and Hellenistic Art was beginning its
adventurous career.
With these two orders as the terms and idioms of expression
the Greeks built up the architecture of their temples. Their
plans were the simplest possible. The rudimentary type was
a simple chamber or cella, with a loggia open to the air except
for two columns standing between the two extremities of the
side walls, which terminated in pilasters known as ' antae
The next stage was to bring the colonnade forward,2 stage
number three repeated the column at the other end of the
building,3 stage number four continued the colonnade along
the sides,4 stage number five doubled the colonnade on all
1 Vitruvius gives this as the ' aedes in antis '.
2 Pro-style (colonnade in front).
3 Amphipro-style (colonnade at both ends).
4 Peripteral (single colonnade all round).
Architecture
the Ionian Greeks from the East. A crude anticipation of the
volute is found in Phoenician work, and it also appears on
a Hittite relief at Boghaz Keui in the middle of Asia Minor.
Its origin in either case was oriental, and we have here the
other motive in Greek architecture, Eastern, at any rate
exotic, and, as compared with Doric, almost alien to the true
Greek genius. Yet this astonishing people gave it a form as
far removed from its barbarous originals, as the Doric capitals
of the Parthenon from the capitals of the columns of Mycenae,
and when the Greeks of both sides of the Aegean drew together
after the defeat of the Persians, the Ionic order crossed the
sea, and assumed a place of honour iri the temples of Greece,
still, however, with rare exceptions, in subordination to the
Doric order. In the colonies in Asia Minor, the supremacy
of the Ionic order had long been recognized. The Ionic
temple of Hera at Samos, 368 ft. long by 178 ft. wide,
is supposed to have been built at the end of the sixth or early
in the fifth century B.C., and this was the forerunner of the
great fourth-century temples of Ionia, built when Architecture
had changed its direction and Hellenistic Art was beginning its
adventurous career.
With these two orders as the terms and idioms of expression
the Greeks built up the architecture of their temples. Their
plans were the simplest possible. The rudimentary type was
a simple chamber or cella, with a loggia open to the air except
for two columns standing between the two extremities of the
side walls, which terminated in pilasters known as ' antae
The next stage was to bring the colonnade forward,2 stage
number three repeated the column at the other end of the
building,3 stage number four continued the colonnade along
the sides,4 stage number five doubled the colonnade on all
1 Vitruvius gives this as the ' aedes in antis '.
2 Pro-style (colonnade in front).
3 Amphipro-style (colonnade at both ends).
4 Peripteral (single colonnade all round).