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Greek Ancient Athens

Decent Essays

The city-state of Athens is a part of the Greek Archaic cities. The history of Athens dates back to 3000 BCE, where the earliest evidence of occupation is documented, but the focus here is on Athens in the Archaic Period, which dates from 800-500 BCE. During this period there were a large variety of features that were detailed in the accounts of the city’s society and history. The center of the city is dominated by two hills, the Pnyx and the Acropolis. Pnyx is where the Popular Assembly held its meetings. The Acropolis was the fortified center, then later became a religious sanctuary, the home of Athena, the patron goddess of the city, and a host of other deities. During the 6th century the Athenian Empire was at the peak of its power under …show more content…

The Parthenon is a Doric Temple with Ionic Feature. Doric order was characterized by rectangular shape, a levelling course, three steps on top of the levelling course, as well as the stylobate on top of the steps marking the floor of the temple. The temple consisted of cult rooms surrounded by the colonnade. Doric columns stand directly on the stylobate. The concave grooves of Doric fluting end in a sharp line, or arris. The Doric capital consists of two parts, the round echinus, and above it, the square abacus. The capitals form the transition from the column shaft to the entablature. The entablature consists of three main parts—the architrave, the frieze, and the cornice. The architrave rests on the columns and left plain in the Doric style. The frieze, in which the triglyphs alternate with the metopes. The cornice, which forms the eaves along the sides of the building, and at the short ends, the base for the gable, the broad triangular space. This space is bordered with a horizontal course and two slopping courses. The Ionic features that the Parthenon posses are a continuous sculpted frieze, as well as four Ionic columns supporting the roof of the

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