What Is The Difference Between The Pantheon And The Greek Parthenon

747 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Compare and contrast ancient greek architecture to ancient romans in relation to temples

Introduction

The Roman Pantheon, constructed around 126AD, and the Greek Parthenon constructed about 432BC, are famous not just because they are two of the few significant ancient temples that have survived mostly intact for thousands of years but because the offer a glimpse into the past of early Western civilizations. These temples were used by two different cultures and are constructed about 550 years apart, so it is expected that there would be differences. The question to be examined is – Are the differences between the Parthenon and the Pantheon that great and what do they say about their cultures?

Discussion

First, what is a temple? Dictionary.com (n.d) defines it as “an edifice or place dedicated to the service or worship of a deity …show more content…

The Greek Parthenon is dedicated to the Goddess Athena and was designed to house a single, large statue of her. Furthermore, the building itself is designed to be pleasing to the eye and has a repeating series of 9 to 4 ratios in its construction (overall length to width, face of building width to height, etc…). It is also sighted on a prominent feature, visible for miles around. In short, it is as much a statement of artistry and power for the Athenian city state as it is a temple to venerate Athena. The Roman Pantheon is a much more utilitarian building built in the middle of the city and is admired today more for the fact that it has the largest concrete dome ever built than for its overall beauty. It is an engineering statement. Seen from the front it resembles the Parthenon but one gets a whole different feeling when viewing it from the side where it looks like a square building mashed together with a rectangular one and then with a cylindrical one. Only the front of the Pantheon has any decoration versus all four sides of the Parthenon. This utilitarian theme continued inside where the statues of many gods were placed around the outside perimeter, leaving the center open for a variety of

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast The Funerary Temple Of Hatshepsut

    353 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Parthenon were very similar in most cases but at the same time, there were also very different. In this essay, I will compare and contrast these two renowned temples. I am going to focus on the context, subject and style of each Temple. Firstly, let us examine Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. According to Hill (2010) the Temple of Hatshepsut is one of the most beautiful temples in ancient Egypt and it is located at Deir el-Bahri. It was built by an architect named Senemut. Moreover, this temple was very significant in Egypt because that is where the body of Queen Hatshepsut was buried, and she was said to be the first woman ruler in history. On the other hand, according to Beard

    Read More

  • Why Was the Parthenon Dedicated to Athena?

    516 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Parthenon was an amazing and important temple. Dedicated to Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom, it was a very important temple to the Greeks. Greeks worshiped all of their gods by building temples for them and giving sacrifices. Most of the sacrifices were sacred tiles designed especially for the gods, not many were human.

    Read More

  • Altar of Zeus: New Style to Old Ideas

    1290 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hellenistic art, let alone architecture, was a period of dramatic transformations that deterred greatly from the Greek Classical period. While the Classical Greek concepts were not entirely abandoned, the Hellenistic period expanded the formal horizons with dramatic posing, sweeping lines, and high contrast of light, shadow and emotion, something greatly different from the Classical artists ideas. The conventions and rules of the Classical period gave way to experimentation and a sense of freedom that allowed the artists of the Hellenistic period to explore their subjects from unique points of view that they had not previously done. The Altar to Zeus in Pergamon is the perfect representation of the Hellenistic period. Pergamon contained the Altar to Zeus in the same way that the Athenian Acropolis contained the Parthenon and is considered by the Greek art historian Gisela Richter to be “the most famous altar of Hellenistic times” (Handbook 32). The Altar of Pergamon is uniquely suited as an ideal example of 2nd century Greek culture that is tied to the ideals of the people, and shows off Hellenistic characteristics that define the time just as the Parthenon is a staple in the Classical period. [Stokstad]

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Nation Of Islam And The Nation Of Islam

    951 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Islam, their communities are called ummah. Their mosque is in the center, and cities are constructed around it. This symbolizes a life built around faith. In the Nation of Islam, their temple is also their sense of community. Though their cities are not physically around the temple, their social and spiritual lives are centered there. With school, religious services, banquets, etc. the whole community of believers sees the temple as a common ground and gathering place.

    Read More

  • The Sacred Space Of The Cathedral Of Chartres

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    One similarity between the Parthenon and the cathedral in France is the size, which are both large and metaphorically symbolize the people’s devotion and dedication to their God. One similarity, is today both the Cathedral of Chartres and the Parthenon of Acropolis Greece both serve as temples and popular tourist sites today. The two styles also differ quite dramatically which can be seen in the cathedral which is a Gothic style and the Parthenon which is a Doric and Ionic style. The cathedral differs from the Parthenon because the Cathedral has maintained most of their authentic parts, mostly involving the stained glass windows. While, the Parthenon has been burnt down and reconstructed, both still partake a significant marker in art history.

    Read More

  • Pantheon and Hagia Sophia

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pantheon and Hagia Sophia Pantheon and Hagia Sophia are two extremely outstanding architectural pieces of their times. They have been built according to the traditions of those particular times. The materials used to built these buildings and the purpose for which they were used are all very important aspects and have been briefly covered in this report. Pantheon The statesman Agrippa built pantheon in 27 B.C. Then it was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, its construction, and its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times. The present structure was probably originally built as a temple for all the pagan gods. We do hear of it as being a law-court and a reception area for Emperor Hadrian meeting his quests too. Some say that the rotunda of the building was once a Roman bath. Due to all this mystery, the Pantheon is often referred to as the Sphinx of Rome. The visitor will probably not appreciate the construction as much as the Flavian amphitheatre, but it is still a great masterpiece of engineering and well worth a visit. Most Roman and Greek temples at the time of the Pantheon's construction were large, colonnaded, rectangular enclosures with sanctuaries situated in their centers. The Pantheon was different. It consisted of a large circular drum topped with a hemispherical dome. It is a masterpiece of both engineering and art a lasting memory of Ancient Rome’s might. Roman architecture is architecture of wall and enclosed tactile space. Individual column with entablature is no longer the basic architectural unity. Spatially, it shows a development from closed, simple space units and regular articulation to more complex spatial relations, more fluid interpenetrati...

    Read More

  • Monumental Architecture in Bronze Age Egypt and Crete

    1563 Words  | 4 Pages

    The significance of monumental architecture lies not only in the function it is built to serve but also in the cultural values it represents. Monumental architecture is aesthetic as well as functional, and in its aesthetic aspects it is a form of cultural expression. In Bronze Age Mediterranean civilizations, the development of monumental architecture was influenced primarily by the political structure of the state. Perhaps the most disparate forms of monumental architecture in this region were developed in Pharaonic Egypt and Minoan Crete, reflecting the differences in their political systems. The socio-political structure of these two cultures can be sharply contrasted through an examination of a predominant type of monumental architecture found in each region.

    Read More

  • Similarities in the Artwork of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Aegean cultures, and Ancient Greece

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    The artworks of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Aegean cultures, and Ancient Greece have similarities that not only reflect objects and images, but also the media, style and representation. These countries were not always wealthy, clever, creative and powerful enough to gain supplies, but they all find a way to create art with what they had. They have all influenced on each other’s cultures and belief through their artistic values and ways, ranging from the materials and tools they use, position and representation of their monuments and their religious intent.

    Read More

  • Plato on the Parthenon

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Parthenon was built to honor the goddess of wisdom, Athena. When structures are built using straight lines they tend to look slightly distorted due to the science of optics. The architects Iktos and Kallikretes were skilled architects of their time and they used illusory tactics to create an ideal aesthetic for The Parthenon. The architects compensated for these visual illusions by counteracting them in their design. The end result is a structure that is not composed of straight lines, but when viewed by the human eye, looks perfectly straight. Plato would have mentioned one of his famous dictums, ?That which changes least is most real.? He would have viewed Iktos and Kallikretes designs as less real than other designs that do not u...

    Read More

  • Essay On Roman Pantheon

    1026 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Roman Pantheon built by the Romans using advanced engineering skills combined a cylindrical structure with an outer colonnade Greek classical design to make an architectural monument. The amount of time and effort that went into the building of this structure shows a cultural emphasis on quality workmanship and perfectionism. This workmanship and perfectionism showed the importance given to the worship and honoring of the Gods. This pantheon is the only active place of worship amongst Rome’s ancient temples still in existence. Modern commentators tend to view the building as a high point in an "architectural revolution" brought about mainly through the Roman development of a superior pozzolana concrete that lent itself to the forming of unitary, three-dimensional structures. Other factors cited for the technical success of the Pantheon include the use of a series of massive, concentric stepped rings and the lightening of the dome by coffering and gradated light-weight aggregates. ( Mark, Robert, and Paul Hutchinson, 1986) The concrete dome was one of the world’s largest unreinforced concrete builds for over a millennium until the modern era. The success of the Pantheon longevity was largely attributed to acquired new techniques of construction and materials that shaped the development of Roman construction technology. This allowed for the use

    Read More

  • Propaganda and National Pride in Building the Parthenon

    2500 Words  | 5 Pages

    So to conclude, I believe that national pride was hugely important in the building of the Parthenon, and although it seems that religion took a lower priority, it may have been just as important as national pride in the building of the Parthenon. Bibliography - Books = == ==

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Greek And Roman Mythology

    1519 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the history of the world there have been a number of civilizations which have had a longstanding influence not only their own people and culture, but also on various other societies and civilizations. The Greek and Roman civilizations are two such civilizations. Both Greek and Roman influences have permeated societies and cultures besides their own. While there are many notable similarities between ancient Greek and Roman mythology and religion, there are likely also many differences in their origins, beliefs, and practices. Still, ancient Greek and Roman mythology and culture have influenced people of the world from the medieval ages up to the present. Indeed, ancient Greek and Roman mythology and culture have influenced world theology through the ages.

    Read More

  • The Parthenon

    1400 Words  | 3 Pages

    In summary, the Greeks followed the ideals of humanism, idealism, and rationalism, which can be found in the architectural wonder, the Parthenon. In this building, Gods are depicted in human form, sculptures are carved with ideal proportions, and rationalism can be found in the scenes carved there. Professor Hurwit says, “It was the physical embodiment of their values, their beliefs of their ideology. It remains for us a powerful statement of what human beings are capable of” (Beckham). Not only is the Parthenon an architectural wonder and mystery, but it also holds the beliefs and feelings of the people of Athens.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Parthenon

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Parthenon was built during the Golden age in Athens, Greece. The Parthenon is made of mainly columns; there is a 9:4 ratio. It was almost destroyed in war; the ruins that remained were dedicated to Athena. The purpose of the Parthenon was to house the statue of Athena, made of ivory and gold, and also Athena’s treasure. The ratios and the equations used to make the Parthenon were used as a sign of the harmony in the natural world around us. The mathematical harmony in the world shows how we can work with the world rather than destroy to make it what we want. The Parthenon also has no straight lines. The columns of the Parthenon are angled going up getting smaller the higher they get. This was done so that you could get the best lighting

    Read More

  • Greek Architecture

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Ancient Greece, religion dominated their life, so it is understandable that their architecture would be dominated by their religion. Before Greece became many different city-states, they had kings, and they would build a room called a megaron to show they King’s authority. A typical megaron is a single chamber with a fire pit in the middle with a throne off to the side. This room opened up into a porch (portico) that had four columns in the front. After there were no more kings these megarons turned into temples. The fire pit, which turned into some type of altar or a place to show a sacrifice for that god, was now outside in front of the temple. The altar was now outside so people could see you make these sacrifices to their gods. The first Greek temples were made out of wood and were long rectangular buildings with a porch all the way around which was supported by columns made from tree trunks. A Greek temple consists of five basic parts: the pediment, entablature, columns, base, and the cella, or the inner sanctum. The pediment is triangular and would have a type of sculpture or ornament known as acreteria on each corner. An entablature consists of three parts: the cornice, frieze, and architrave, which holds up the pediment. The columns are the support between the entablature and the base. The base usually consists of three steps. The cella is the inner sanctum, which has different rooms with more columns for support. Each temple would have a cella but they were not identical.

    Read More

More about What Is The Difference Between The Pantheon And The Greek Parthenon

Open Document