Greek Architecture- A Portrayal Of Greatness

7 Pages 1765 Words

Rachel Jones Jones 1
Mrs. Wiseberger
World History
31 October 2004

Ancient Greek Architecture- A Portrayal of Greatness
“Greek architecture: the art of building that arose on the shores of the Aegean Sea and flourished in the ancient world.” (Columbia Encyclopedia) Ancient Greek architecture began with the admiration of ancient Egyptian architecture, and much of the same concepts are applied to this very day. They modeled many aspects of Egyptian architecture and refined their structural imprecision to develop their very own unique style. The Romans, along with other civilizations, admired their unique architectural fashion and borrowed these characteristics to mold and shape a distinct style of their very own. Ancient Greece is known to be one of the greatest influences to present-day architecture. (Arrowhead)
The ancient Greeks loved life, and lived it with unmatchable gusto. They were a unique people who prized differences in personality and character. They believed individuality to be the foundation of their society, and individuals should be free as long as they acted within the laws of Greece. They highly respected intellectuals, and the concept of deep thinking. The strong emphasis placed upon intellectuality and individualism allowed them to excel in any area they desired. Greeks believed in striving for excellence no matter how big the challenge. Such an avid devotion for

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excellence paved the way for their many extraordinary accomplishments. (Arrowhead and Greek Culture)
The elegance of Greek architecture reveals their aspiration for beauty in distinction. They possessed several different methods of construction, which are still admired and often practiced today. The earliest method consists of rectangular temples of wood with simple post-and-lintel construction. By the fifth century B.C., trees suitable for use were next to impossible to find as a result of deforestation. Architects de...