ideals into American life, early American architects tended
to copy the Greek orders.
As these styles evolved, the goal for Greek architects was
to fi nd pleasing proportions. Th ey wanted to ensure that each
part of the building was proportioned in relation to the other
parts to achieve a perfect form. Th us, they constantly experi-
mented with these forms. In earlier centuries the forms were
fashioned primarily out of wood; during the Classical Period
stone was the favored building material. Since many build-
ings had religious signifi cance, the Greeks wanted them to
last forever and have the ability to withstand earthquakes.
Because so much depended on the buildings’ supports, a
great deal of attention was paid to the columns. Th ese col-
umns consisted of a number of parts; from bottom to top,
they included the pedestal, base, shaft , and capital. Resting on
the capital was the horizontal architrave (a beam that extends
across a row of columns). Above the architrave was the frieze
carved on the entablature, and on top of that was the cornice,
or projecting moldings t hat a llow rainwater to fl ow off the top
of the building.
Th e fi rst of the orders, the earliest to develop (in about the
seventh century b.c.e.), is called the Doric, a term the Greeks
themselves used in the belief that this style of architecture de-
scended from the more ancient Dorian culture. Th e ancient
Romans regarded the Doric style as the most masculine. Th e
distinguishing features of this style are that the columns are
thick and sturdy and the capitals, or the tops of the columns,
are plain. Th e ancient Greeks believed that a man’s foot was
one-sixth his height, and they used this proportion in Doric
columns. Th e Doric style of architecture can be seen in the
Parthenon in Athens, the Temple of Hera at Paestum, and the
Temple of Apollo in Corinth.
Th e second order of Greek architecture was the Ionic,
which developed about a century later. Its distinguishing fea-
tures are that the columns are more slender, about eight times
the width at the base, and the capitals are ornamented with
spiral scrollwork called volutes. Th e Romans thought of the
Ionic style as more feminine, with the scrollwork representing
a woman’s hair and the vertical fl uting (concave, semicircular
grooves) of the column representing the folds of her gown. Th e
Greeks themselves saw this distinction. Th e Ionic style was
prevalent in regions that were urban and sophisticated. Th e
people saw this style of architecture as refi ned and elegant. In
contrast, the people in regions where the Doric order predom-Th e theater at Epidaurus, Greece (Alison Frantz Photographic Collection, American School of Classical Studies at Athens)
76 architecture: Greece