Classical architecture  

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 +[[Image:Western face of the Greek Parthenon.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[1872]] [[photograph]] of the western face of the [[Greek]] [[Parthenon]]]]
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'''Classical architecture''' is the set of building styles and techniques of Classical Greece, as used in ancient Greece, the Hellenistic period, and the Roman empire. In [[architectural history]], Classical architecture also includes later and modern styles derived from Greek sources, while [[archaeology|archaeological]] usage is more strictly limited to the Classical period. '''Classical architecture''' is the set of building styles and techniques of Classical Greece, as used in ancient Greece, the Hellenistic period, and the Roman empire. In [[architectural history]], Classical architecture also includes later and modern styles derived from Greek sources, while [[archaeology|archaeological]] usage is more strictly limited to the Classical period.
 +
 +==Archaeological use==
 +Classical architecture can be divided into:
 +*'''[[Architecture of Ancient Greece|Greek architecture]]''' before [[Alexander the Great]]
 +*'''Hellenistic architecture'''
 +*'''[[Roman architecture]]'''
 +
 +Only Greek architecture in the time before Alexander (who died in 324 BC) carries an authentic, '''ethnic''' designation. The ancient Greeks were notoriously dismissive of ''barbaroi'' – those who spoke Greek non-natively or not at all. The incredible conquests of Alexander and the subsequent application of a veneer of Greek city states to a base of Egyptian, Semitic, and Iranian populations produced an important change. Though speaking Greek remained the touchstone of whether one was a member of civilized culture or not, the ethnic diversification of the Hellenistic world is clear. The '''formal elements''' of classical Greek architecture were applied to temples for gods never worshipped in [[Greece]].
 +
 +The Romans can be seen as the latest Hellenistic empire. Pre-imperial architecture is more or less [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]] with some Greek elements. By the time the Romans conquered mainland Greece in the 2nd century BC they were importing Greek craftsmen to build major public buildings. The term ''[[Roman Art]]'' and ''[[Roman Architecture]]'' has no ethnic meaning relating to ''[[Italic Romans]]''. Most [[art history|art historians]] assume that it has the ethnic meaning of "Greek-speaking slave" or "Greek-speaking free laborer," in fact.
 +
 +==Architectural use==
 +
 +Most of the styles originating in post-[[renaissance]] [[Europe]] can be described as classical architecture. This broad use of the term is employed by Sir [[John Summerson]] in ''The Classical Language of Architecture''.
 +
 +The "elements" of classical architecture have been applied in radically different architectural contexts than those for which they were developed. The [[classical orders]] – [[Doric order|Doric]], [[Ionic order|Ionic]], and [[Corinthian order|Corinthian]] – have meaning in the stylistic history of 5th century BC Greece, shifting to the developments in 1st century AD [[Gaul]], with the styles revived over and over again since then.
 +
 +==See also==
 +* [[The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America]]
 +* [[List of classical architecture terms]]
 +* [[Classical orders]]
 +* [[Neoclassicism]]
 +* [[Architectural style]]
 +* [[Herodian architecture]]
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Revision as of 19:53, 25 June 2014

1872 photograph of the western face of the Greek Parthenon
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1872 photograph of the western face of the Greek Parthenon

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Classical architecture is the set of building styles and techniques of Classical Greece, as used in ancient Greece, the Hellenistic period, and the Roman empire. In architectural history, Classical architecture also includes later and modern styles derived from Greek sources, while archaeological usage is more strictly limited to the Classical period.

Archaeological use

Classical architecture can be divided into:

Only Greek architecture in the time before Alexander (who died in 324 BC) carries an authentic, ethnic designation. The ancient Greeks were notoriously dismissive of barbaroi – those who spoke Greek non-natively or not at all. The incredible conquests of Alexander and the subsequent application of a veneer of Greek city states to a base of Egyptian, Semitic, and Iranian populations produced an important change. Though speaking Greek remained the touchstone of whether one was a member of civilized culture or not, the ethnic diversification of the Hellenistic world is clear. The formal elements of classical Greek architecture were applied to temples for gods never worshipped in Greece.

The Romans can be seen as the latest Hellenistic empire. Pre-imperial architecture is more or less Etruscan with some Greek elements. By the time the Romans conquered mainland Greece in the 2nd century BC they were importing Greek craftsmen to build major public buildings. The term Roman Art and Roman Architecture has no ethnic meaning relating to Italic Romans. Most art historians assume that it has the ethnic meaning of "Greek-speaking slave" or "Greek-speaking free laborer," in fact.

Architectural use

Most of the styles originating in post-renaissance Europe can be described as classical architecture. This broad use of the term is employed by Sir John Summerson in The Classical Language of Architecture.

The "elements" of classical architecture have been applied in radically different architectural contexts than those for which they were developed. The classical ordersDoric, Ionic, and Corinthian – have meaning in the stylistic history of 5th century BC Greece, shifting to the developments in 1st century AD Gaul, with the styles revived over and over again since then.

See also




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Classical architecture" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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