GAA essays

What key building represents the Peisistratid tyranny?

The Altar of the Twelve Gods

date of Altar of 12 gods?

522/1BC

Who dedicated the Altar of the Twelve Gods?

Peisistratos the Younger, grandson of the tyrant

What was the Altar of the Twelve Gods made of?

Limestone and marble

What was the function of the Altar of the Twelve Gods?

Religious and administrative centre; distances in Attica were measured from it

How did the Altar of the Twelve Gods express tyranny?

Centralised civic and religious authority under one focal point, symbolising hierarchical control

Which building represents early Kleisthenic democracy?

The Old Bouleuterion

Date of Old Bouleuterion?

500BC

Where was the Old Bouleuterion located?

On the west side of the Agora

What was the shape of the Old Bouleuterion?

almost square

What institution met in the Old Bouleuterion?

The Council of 500 (Boule) representing the ten tribes

How did the Old Bouleuterion reflect democratic change?

Functional, modest, open to the Agora

Which buildings symbolises mature Periklean democracy?

The Tholos and the Stoa Poikile

Tholos date?

470-60BC

Stoa Poikile date?

460BC

What is the form of the Tholos?

Circular building

What was the function of the Tholos?

Headquarters of the Prytaneis

what did the prytaneis do in the Tholos, quote and reference

dined ‘at public expense’ Ath Pol

Where does the Hephaisteion stand relative to the Agora?

On the west side, rising on the Kolonos Agoraios hill overlooking the square

When did the Doric order appear?

Late 7th century BC

How does Doric differ from Ionic?

Doric is heavier and austere with triglyph–metope rhythm; Ionic is slender, has volutes, bases, and a continuous frieze.

What does Vitruvius say about the Doric order?

He calls it elegant but difficult

What is the Doric “corner problem”?

Misalignment of triglyphs and column axes at corners; solved by narrowing end intercolumniations (corner contraction) (Vitruvius IV.3.2).

What is entasis?

A slight convex swelling of a column shaft to counter optical illusion and give visual strength.

What is the module in Doric design?

A fixed unit (e.g. 16 Doric feet per interaxial spacing) used to proportion all parts of the temple.

Which is the earliest monumental Doric temple?

Temple of Artemis at Korkyra (Corfu), c. 580 BC.

What are the dimensions of the Temple of Artemis at Korkyra?

Approx. 23.5 × 49 m

columns of the Temple of Artemis at Korkyra?

8 × 17

What material was the Korkyra temple built from?

Local limestone

What is depicted on the Korkyra pediment?

A colossal Gorgon Medusa with flanking panthers and small mythic scenes

What does the Korkyra temple show about early Doric design?

Massive proportions, irregular spacing, unresolved corner problem, emblematic sculpture.

Who built the Temple of Zeus at Olympia?

Libon of Elis

date of Temple of Zeus at Olympia?

c. 470 - 457BC

What are the dimensions of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia?

length ≈ 64 m; height ≈ 20 m

columns of Temple of Zeus at Olympia?

6 × 13

ratio of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia?

4.7:1

What innovations appear at Olympia?

Corner contraction, column entasis, optical corrections, precise triglyph–metope rhythm.

What do the Olympia pediments depict?

East: Pelops and Oinomaos before the race; West: Centauromachy

Which temple perfects the Doric system?

The Parthenon

date of the Parthenon?

447-432BC

the Parthenon’s ratio?

4 : 9 ratio

columns of the Parthenon?

8 × 17

how much do the corner columns of the Parthenon lean?

0.07m

How are triglyphs and metopes arranged on the Parthenon?

triglyphs align with column axes

how big are parthenon metopes?

1.3m square

What subjects appear on the Parthenon metopes?

Gigantomachy, Centauromachy, Amazonomachy, Sack of Troy

What happens to pedimental sculpture through time?

From emblematic (Korkyra Gorgon) to narrative (Olympia, Aegina) to idealised naturalism (Parthenon).

What do the Aegina pediments depict?

Two Trojan War scenes with Athena at centre; diagonal compositions; Early Classical “Severe Style.”

How did the Doric temple evolve structurally?

From heavy limestone and irregular spacing to marble precision and optical refinement.