lecture 6 greek temple

7/30/2019 Lecture 6 Greek Temple

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The Temple of Zeus at Olympia

was an ancient Greek temple in Olympia, Greece, dedicated to the chief of the gods. The temple,

built between 472 and 456 BC, was the very model of the fully developed classical Greek temple ofthe Doric order.[1]

The temple stood in the most famous sanctuary of Greece, which had been dedicated to local and

Pan-Hellenic deities and had probably been established towards the end of theMycenaean period.

TheAltis, the enclosure with its sacred grove, open-air altars and the tumulus ofPelops, was first

formed during the tenth and ninth centuries BC[2]Greece's "Dark Age", when the cult of Zeus was

joined to the already established cult of Hera.[3]

It housed the renowned statue of Zeus, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Chryselephantine statue was approximately 13m (43ft) high and was made by the sculptorPhidias in his workshop on the site at Olympia. He took about twelve years to complete it. On his

head was a sculpted wreath of olive sprays. In his right hand he held a figure ofNike, the goddess

of victory, alsomade from ivory and gold, and in his left hand, a scepter made with many kinds of

metal, with an eagle perched on the top. His sandals were made of gold and so was his robe. His

garments were carved with animals and with lilies. The throne was decorated with gold, preciousstones, ebony, and ivory. The statue was the most famous artistic work in Greece.

The temple was constructed by the architect Libon, with carved metopes and triglyph friezes,

topped by pediments filled with sculptures in the Severe Style, now attributed to the "Olympia

Master" and his studio.

The main structure of the building was of a locallimestone that was unattractive and of poor

quality, and so it was coated with a thin layer ofstucco to give it an appearance of marble. All the

sculptural decoration on the temple was made ofParian marble, and the roof tiles were of the same

Pentelic marble used to build the Parthenon at Athens.
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Museum of Olympia

) was depicted on the obverse of the Greek 1000 drachmas banknote of

1987-2001.[9]

Thepronaos and opisthodomos, the entrance portico and the balancing false portico at the rear,were constructed in antis, with six metopes at either end, carved with the 12labours of Heracles, inwhich Heracles successfully defeats a series of creatures and monsters that threaten righteous order.

Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi

was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and

became a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew Python, a dragon who lived

there and protected the navel of the Earth. Python (derived from the verb pythein, "to rot") is

claimed by some to be the original name of the site in recognition of Python which Apollo defeated.

[2] The Homeric Hymn to Delphic Apollo recalled that the ancient name of this site had been Krisa.

[3]

Apollo's sacred precinct in Delphi was a panhellenic sanctuary, where every four years, starting in

586 BC[4] athletes from all over the Greek world competed in the Pythian Games, one of the four

panhellenic (or stephanitic) games, precursors of the Modern Olympics. The victors at Delphi werepresented with a laurel crown (stephanos) which was ceremonially cut from a tree by a boy who re-

enacted the slaying of the Python.[4] Delphi was set apart from the other games sites because it

hosted the mousikos agon, musical competitions.[2]

These Pythian Games rank second among the four stephanitic games chronologically and based on

importance.[4] These games, though, were different from the games at Olympia in that they were

not of such vast importance to the city of Delphi as the games at Olympia were to the area

surrounding Olympia. Delphi would have been a renowned city whether or not it hosted thesegames; it had other attractions that led to it being labeled the "omphalos" (navel) of the earth, in

other words, the center of the world.[5]
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Delphi became the site of a major temple to Phoebus Apollo, as well as thePythian Games and the

famous prehistoric oracle. Even in Roman times, hundreds of votive statues remained, described by

Pliny the Younger and seen by Pausanias.

Carved into the temple were three phrases: (gnthi seautn = "know thyself") and (mdn gan = "nothing in excess"), and ' (egga pra d'at="make a pledge and mischiefis nigh"),[10] In ancient times, the origin ofthese phrases was

attributed to one or more of the Seven Sages of Greece.[11]

Additionally, according to Plutarch's essay on the meaning of the "E at Delphi"the only literary

source for the inscriptionthere was also inscribed at the temple a large letter E.[12] Among other

things epsilon signifies the number 5.

However, ancient as well as modern scholars have doubted the legitimacy of such inscriptions.[13]

According to one pair of scholars, "The actual authorship of the three maxims set up on the

Delphian temple may be left uncertain. Most likely they were popular proverbs, which tended later

to be attributed to particular sages."[14]

According to the Homeric-hymn to the Pythian, Apollo shot his first arrow as an infant whicheffectively slew the serpent Pytho, the son of Gaia, who guarded the spot. To atone the murder of

Gaia's son, Apollo was forced to fly and spend eight years in menial service before he could return

forgiven. A festival, the Septerla, was held every year, at which the whole story was represented: the

slaying of the serpent, and the flight, atonement, and return ofthe god.[15]

The Pythian Games took place every four years to commemorate Apollo's victory.[15] Another

regular Delphi festival was the "Theophania" (), an annual festival in spring celebrating

the return of Apollo from his winter quarters in Hyperborea. The culmination of the festival was adisplay of an image of the gods, usually hidden in the sanctuary, to worshippers.[16]

The "Theoxenia" was held each summer centred on a feast for "gods and ambassadors from other
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prehistoric times and the worship ofGaia. In the last quarter of the 8th century BC there is a steady

increase in artifacts found at the settlement site in Delphi, which was a new, post-Mycenaean

settlement of the late 9th century. Pottery and bronze work as well as tripod dedications continue in

a steady stream, in comparison to Olympia. Neither the range of objects nor the presence ofprestigious dedications proves that Delphi was a focus of attention for a wide range of worshippers,

but the large quantity of high value goods, found in no other mainland sanctuary, certainly

encourages that view.

Apollo spoke through his oracle: the sibyl or priestess of the oracle at Delphi was known as the

Pythia; she had to be an older woman of blameless life chosen from among the peasants of the area.

She sat on a tripod seat over an opening in the earth. When Apollo slew Python, its body fell into

this fissure, according to legend, and fumes arose from its decomposing body. Intoxicated by the

vapors, the sibyl would fall into a trance, allowing Apollo to possess her spirit. In this state she

prophesied. It has been speculated that a gas high in ethylene, known to produce violent trances,

came out of this opening, though this theory remains debatable.[19][20]

While in a trance the Pythia "raved" probably a form of ecstatic speech and her ravings were

"translated" by the priests of the temple into elegant hexameters. People consulted the Delphic

oracle on everything from important matters of public policy to personal affairs. The oracle couldnot be consulted during the winter months, for this was traditionally the time when Apollo would

live among the Hyperboreans. Dionysus would inhabit the temple during his absence.[21]

H.W. Parke writes that the foundation of Delphi and its oracle took place before recorded history

and its origins are obscure, but dating to the worship of the Titan, Gaia.[22]

The Oracle exerted considerable influence throughout the Greek world, and she was consulted

before all major undertakings: wars, the founding of colonies, and so forth. She also was respectedby the semi-Hellenic countries around the Greek world, such as Lydia, Caria, and even Egypt. The

oracle was also known to the early Romans. Rome's seventh and last king, Lucius Tarquinius

S b f i i k hi l d l i i l di f hi
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Occupation of the site at Delphi can be traced back to the Neolithic period with extensive

occupation and use beginning in the Mycenaean period (16001100 BC). Most ofthe ruins that

survive today date from the most intense period of activity at the site in the 6th century BC.[25]

Temple of Apollo

The ruins of the Temple of Delphi visible today date from the 4th century BC are of a peripteral

Doric building. It was erected on the remains of an earlier temple, dated to the 6th century BC

which itself was erected on the site of a 7th century BC construction attributed to the architects

Trophonios and Agamedes.[26]

The 6th century BC temple was named the "Temple ofAlcmeonidae" in tribute to the Athenian

family who funded its reconstruction following a fire, which had destroyed the original structure.

The new building was a Doric hexastyle temple of 6 by 15 columns. This temple was destroyed in

373 BC by an earthquake. The pediment sculptures are a tribute to Praxias and Androsthenes of

Athens. Of a similar proportion to the second temple it retained the 6 by 15 column pattern around

the stylobate.[26] Inside was the adyton, the centre of the Delphic oracle and seat of Pythia. The

temple had the statement "Know thyself", one of the Delphic maxims, carved into it (and some

modern Greek writers say the rest were carved into it), and the maxims were attributed to Apolloand given through the oracle and/or the Seven Sages of Greece ("know thyself" perhaps also being

attributed to other famous philosophers). The monument was partly restored during 1938(?)1300.

The temple survived until 390 AD, when the Christian emperor Theodosius I silenced the oracle by

destroying the temple and most of the statues and works of art in the name of Christianity.[27] The

site was completely destroyed by zealous Christians in an attempt to remove all traces of Paganism.

[27]

Treasuries
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Philip of Macedon and the later sacking of the Treasuries, first by the Celts, and later by Sulla, the

RomanDictator, that led to the eclipse of Greek civilization and the eventual growth of Rome.

Altar of the Chians

Located in front of the Temple of Apollo, the main altar of the sanctuary was paid for and built by

the people ofChios. It is dated to the 5th century BC by the inscription on its cornice. Made entirely

of black marble, except for the base and cornice, the altar would have made a striking impression. It

was restored in 1920.[28]

Stoa of the Athenians

The stoa leads off north-east from the main sanctuary. It was built in the Ionic order and consists of

seven fluted columns, unusually carved from single pieces of stone (most columns were constructed

from a series of discs joined together). The inscription on the stylobate indicates that it was built by

the Athenians after their naval victory over the Persians in 478 BC, to house their war trophies.[28]

The rear wall of the stoa contains nearly a thousand inscriptions; supposedly any slave manumitted

in Athens was obliged to record a short biography here, explaining why he had deserved his

freedom.

Sibyl rock

The Sibyl rock is a pulpit-like outcrop of rock between the Athenian Treasury and the Stoa of the

Athenians upon the sacred way which leads up to the temple of Apollo in the archaeological area of

Delphi. It is claimed to be where the Sibyl sat to deliver her prophecies.

Theatre
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Stadium

The stadium is located further up the hill, beyond the via sacra and the theatre. It was originally

built in the 5th century BC but was altered in later centuries. The last major remodeling took place

in the 2nd century AD under the patronage ofHerodes Atticus when the stone seating was built and

(arched) entrance. It could seat 6500 spectators and the track was 177 metres long and 25.5 metres

wide.[29]

Hippodrome

The hippodrome of Delphi was the location where the running events took place during the PythianGames. No trace of it has been found, but the location of the stadium and some remnants of

retaining walls lead to the conclusion that is was set on a plain apart from the main part of the city

and well away from the Peribolos of Apollo.[30]

Polygonal wall

The retaining wall was built to support the terrace housing the construction of the second temple ofApollo in 548 BC. Its name is taken from the polygonal masonry of which it is constructed.[28]

Athletic statues

Delphi is famous for its many preserved athletic statues. It is known that Olympia originally housed

far more of these statues, but time brought ruin to many of them, leaving Delphi as the main site of

athletic statues.[31]Kleobis and Biton, two brothers renowned for their strength, are modeled in two

of the earliest known athletic statues at Delphi. The statues commemorate their feat of pulling their

mother's cart several miles to the Sanctuary of Hera in the absence of oxen. The neighbors were

most impressed and their mother asked Hera to grant them the greatest gift. When they entered
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To the north of the sanctuary can be found the Prytaneion and the Philippeion, as well as the array

oftreasuries representing the various city states. The Metroon lies to the south of these treasuries,

with the Echo Stoa to the East. To the south of the sanctuary is theSouth Stoa and theBouleuterion,

whereas the West side houses the Palaestra, the workshop ofPheidias, the Gymnasionand theLeonidaion.

Olympia is also known for the gigantic ivory and goldstatue of Zeus that used to stand there,

sculpted by Pheidias, which was named one of theSeven Wonders of the Ancient World by

Antipater of Sidon. Very close to theTemple of Zeus which housed this statue, the studio of

Pheidias was excavated in the 1950s. Evidence found there, such as sculptor's tools, corroborates

this opinion. The ancient ruins sit north of the Alfeios River and Mount Kronos (named after the

Greek deity Kronos). The Kladeos, a tributary of the Alfeios, flows around the area. Its located in

the part of Greece which is called Peloponesse. In Ancient Greece, Olympia was sacred ground to

the Greeks.

Site plan
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Remains of food and burnt offerings dating back to the 10th century BC give evidence of a long

history of religious activity at the site. No buildings have survived from this earliest period of use.

[3] Also, the charred remains of a Homo Heidelbergensis body were found at Olympia.

Geometric and Archaic periods

The first Olympic festival was organized on the site by the authorities ofElis in the 8th century BC

with tradition dating the first games at 776 BC. Major changes were made to the site around 700

BC, including levelling land and digging new wells. Elis' power diminished and at the beginning ofthe 7th century BC the sanctuary fell into the hands of the Pisatans in 676 BC. The Pisatans

organized the games until the late 7th century BC.[3]

The earliest evidence of building activity on the site dates from around 600 BC. At this time the

Skiloudians, allies of the Pistans, built the Temple of Hera. The Treasuries and the Pelopion were

built during the course of the 6th century BC. The secular structures and athletic arenas were also

under construction during this period including the Bouleuterion. The first stadium was constructed

around 560 BC, it consisted of just a simple track. The stadium was remodelled around 500 BC

with sloping sides for spectators and shifted slightly to the east. Over the course of the 6th century

BC a range of sports were added to the Olympic festival. In 580 BC, Elis, in alliance with Sparta,

occupied Pisa and regained the control over the sanctuary.[3]

Classical period

The classical period, between the 5th and 4th centuries BC, was the golden age of the site atOlympia. A wide range of new religious and secular buildings and structures were constructed.[4]

The Temple of Zeus was built in the middle of the 5th century BC Its size scale and ornamentation
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Temple of Hera (also known as Heraion) is an ancient DoricGreek temple at Olympia, Greece.The Temple of Hera was destroyed by an earthquake in the early 4th century AD, and never rebuilt.

In modern times, the temple is the location where the torch of the Olympic flame is lit, by focusing

the rays of the sun.

The temple was dedicated to Hera, the wife ofZeus and one of the most important female deities in

Greek religion. For other temples also dedicated to Hera, see the:Heraion (disambiguation).

The Heraion at Olympia, located in the north of the altis (the sacred precinct), is the oldest

peripteral temple at that site, and one of the earliest Doric temples in Greece. There may have been

an older cult place in the same location. The temple was erected circa 590 BC, probably as adedication by the Triphylian polis of Skillous. It is suggested that this dedication by a nearby city

was originally in honour of the main patron deity at Olympia, Zeus. In that case, the temple would

have rededicated to Hera at a later point, perhaps after 580 BC, when control of Olympia had

passed from Triphylia to Elis, or in the 5th century BC, when the famous Temple of Zeus was built.

The temple of Hera was destroyed by an earthquake in the early 4th century AD. No repairs took

place after that event.

The temple measures 50.01 by 18.76 m (164.1 by 61.5 ft) at the stylobate level; such elongatedproportions are a common feature of early Doric architecture. It has a peripteros of 6 by 16

columns. These were originally wooden and were only gradually replaced with stone ones. As the

replacements took place at widely differing periods between the Archaic and Roman periods and

were carved under the influence of their respective contemporary styles, they differ considerably in

proportions and detail. As late as the 2nd century AD, the travel writer Pausanias saw one wooden

column in the opisthodomos. The walls had a bottom course of stone with a mudbrick

superstructure, another feature typical of early Greek architecture. Holes in the protrusions at the

ends of the walls (the so-called antae indicate that a wooden cladding protected them from the

elements. Theentablature above the columns must have been wooden, since no remains of it were

found. The temple had a Laconian-style roof; its pediments were decorated with disk acroteria of
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Lecture 6: Greek Temples

Early Greek Temple Architecture Megaron becomes the Temple

Refinements in Structure

The Orders

Thursday, May 9, 2013


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700 BC

Map of Mediterranean



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700 BC

Map of Greece



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2000 ~ 1500 BC

Hairpin Megaron



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Megaron



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1400 ~ 1300 BC

The Kings Megaron



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Argos, Greece 8th BC

Early Greek Temple



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750 BC

Early Greek Temple



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The Orders of Greek Columns and Temples

Doric - Developed in Western Greece

Ionic - Developed in Eastern Greece

Corinthian - Developed 100 BC at the end of GreekEmpire



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Refinements

Entasis

Stylobate

Corner Detail

Golden Section in Plan and Elevation




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Entasis: a slight convex curve in the shaft of a column,introduced to correct the visual illusion of concavityproduced by a straight shaft.

Stylobate: isthe floor of the temple.

Corner Detail: isthe a common problem even today.



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The stylobate or base

has a curvature to

make the appearance

of a flat surface.

The columns lean

slightly inward toappear straight.



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Ur (Iraq) 2047-2030

Ziggurat of Ur-Nammu



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Doric Order



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Doric Order

Doric Order was a simple design.

The column sits on the stylobate.

The top of the shaft is simple

connection to the roof structure

(entablature).



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1400 ~ 1300 BC

Palace of Knossos



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Megaron



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Paestum, Italy 600 BC

Doric Order

Temple of Hera (Poseidon)



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Doric Order




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Doric Order




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Doric Order




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Doric Order




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Doric Order




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Doric Order




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Olympia, Greece

Plan of Olympia



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Olympia, Greece

Plan of Olympia



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Olympia, Greece

Doric Order

Reconstruction of Olympia



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Olympia, Greece

Doric Order

Olympia



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Olympia, Greece

Doric Order

Olympia



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Olympia, Greece

Doric Order

Temple of Zeus



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Olympia, Greece 600 BC

Doric Order

Temple of Zeus West Pediment



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Doric Order

Temple of Zeus



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Doric Order

Temple of Zeus



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Olympia, Greece

Doric Order

Scale of Doric Columns



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Doric Order

Temple of Hera



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Doric Order

Temple of Hera



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Doric Order

Temple of Hera



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Doric Order

The Palaestra



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Doric Order

The Palaestra



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Doric Order

The Palaestra



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Doric Order

Walkway to the Stadium



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Doric Order

Track



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Ionic Order1 - entablature

2 - column3 - cornice

4 - frieze

5 - architrave or epistyle,

6 - capital (abacus and volutes)

7 - shaft

8 - base

9 - stylobate10 - krepis.



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Doric Order



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Ionic Order

The Ionic columns stand on a base

which separates the shaft of the

column from the stylobate orplatform. The cap usually has volutes.



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Adyton

Ionic Orders

Ionic Column Detail



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Adyton

Ionic Orders

Ionic Column Detail



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Adyton

Ionic Orders

Ionic Column Detail



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Athens, Greece 159 - 138 BC

Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos



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Doric/Ionic Orders

Stoa of Attalos

lecture 6 greek temple

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