Antiquity is the image of a Greek column, striving upward, towards light and perfection.
The antique style is known to all of us for the magnificent monuments of Ancient Greece and Rome, architectural monuments, and sculpture. Until now, they inspire us with admiration for their inimitable and complete beauty. The Colosseum, triumphal arches, columns, barrel vaults, beautiful sculptures of noble people, gods, goddesses, amazing artistic paintings attract with their harmony and for many are a role model.
The symbolism of the Antique style is obvious and recognizable. First of all, this is the museum nobility of the presented interior. An eternal classic that will never go out of style, an endless spatial unity that unites other standard solutions. In order to add a touch of Antique style to the interior, it is not enough to decorate the room with a portico with two marble columns; it is important that this nuance gives off a feeling of nobility and completeness.
The antique style is usually very self-sufficient and does not need any decoration.
History of Antique Style
Ancient Greek architecture, which arose on the islands of the Aegean Sea, was so harmonious and holistic that it was subsequently perceived by later styles (Renaissance, Classicism, Neoclassicism) as a primary source, as a kind of standard to follow.
The ancient Romans, being good students of the Greeks, not only fully adopted their heritage, but also developed it, complementing the order system with the Tuscan and Composite orders.
The real achievement of the Romans was that by combining the Greek order, the Italic arch and the cylindrical vault (the Greeks had neither one nor the other), they “invented” the arched order cell (triumphal arch). The Romans also experimented with such amazing beautiful shape like a dome.
Features of Antique Style
Separation of utility and beauty functions. The interior was decorated with wall paintings and cladding. The floors were most often mosaic, and later covered with carpets. The painted coffered ceiling was complemented by relief images, large vases with drawings, and tapagras (small terracotta figurines).
Antique style interiors are distinguished by the severity of architectural orders, decorative elements, as well as color scheme, namely, bright colors blue, green colors, shades of red (terracotta), gold, ringing yellow, ivory, black.
The original Greek furniture has not survived, but the reliefs and designs on the vases have survived. The shapes of the chairs are simple and served as models for subsequent style forms. Three main forms: benches, ordinary and ceremonial chairs. Along with simple work tables, there were also low trapezoidal dining tables on three legs (in the shape of animal paws). The furnishings of the home also included small chests, baskets, benches, and cabinets.
During the Antiquity period, furniture was made of wood and sometimes covered with fabrics. Bedspreads and tablecloths were usually plain-dyed, and there was a characteristic pattern along the edge of the fabric. Sometimes the fabric could be decorated with embroidery. Stacked mosaics were also used for furniture decoration, when wooden products were inlaid with various mosaic inserts: ivory, gold, precious stones or just wood of a different color.
Antique furniture was usually of simple shapes; furniture legs were sometimes made in the form of animal paws or griffin figures (the influence of Ancient Egypt and Babylon is felt in this). An ancient Greek chair with saber-shaped legs was called klismos. Such chairs came into use again in the era of European classicism.
Antique style. Greek ornamentation is characterized by both figured and floral, geometric and architectural elements. The characteristic pattern is a spiral and also a wavy line. Expensive wood species, marble, bronze, gold, ivory, clay - the main materials used in the Ancient interior.
For lovers of beauty, luxury, and harmony in the interior, antique style is suitable. The splendor of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome can be embodied in modern premises, if you approach the work with utmost attention, first study the main points of stylizing the interior as antique.
Highlights of antique interior design
The era of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome is famous for its masterpieces of architecture, sculpture, and art. The antique style of interior design is borrowed from the history and culture of these countries.
A little history
Architectural works of antiquity (from 776-476 BC) are role models for masters of later eras. Artists of the ancient world created images that convey the harmony of nature. All the creations of the ancient Greeks and Romans were complete. Compositional construction - required element architectural structures, sculptural complexes, paintings.
The antique style combines the Roman and Greek eras. The Roman style was completely borrowed from Greek culture. In Roman and Greek cultures There are many similarities, but there are also significant differences. Roman design is more militant, aggressive, with a “taste” of luxury and abundance; Greek elements tend to be closer to nature.
Modern designers do not distinguish between the subtleties of Greek and Roman design and combine them into one concept - antique style.
Modern designers use antique elements to create
The influence of antiquity did not pass by the Byzantine style, which absorbed many elements of the style of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Byzantine design successfully combines features of antiquity and oriental motifs. In addition to sophistication and sophistication, luxury and pomp characteristic of the East were added.
Characteristic features of the antique style
This style skillfully combines beauty and functionality. The interior elements are beautiful, majestic and practical. The peculiarity of using antique design is that such interior design will not be organic in small areas. Only a spacious room can become a good container for classical antiquity.
In a spacious room it is much easier to embody the basic elements of antiquity
Characteristic features of the antique style in the interior:
- The presence of an arched order cell (triumphal arch).
- Domed ceiling, painted or supplemented with reliefs.
- Decorating walls with frescoes (wall paintings).
- Mosaic floor.
- Decorating the room with floor vases, busts, figurines and majestic statues.
- Use bright colors.
- The use of colonnades and porticoes for zoning the premises.
- Natural materials (gypsum, wood, natural stone, clay, fabrics).
It should be noted that the grandeur of this style is not associated with an excess of luxury. The richest interiors were decorated with a small number of expensive things. Taste and a sense of proportion always distinguish antique-style interiors, despite the use of gold, inlay, jewelry made of valuable wood, ivory, and precious stones.
Interior decoration in antique style
To make a room in the style of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome, it is necessary to use the knowledge and skills that the inhabitants of these countries possessed. There are a number of “requirements” that must be met in order to embody the spirit of antiquity in your interior:
- spaciousness and significant footage of premises;
- high ceilings;
- the complexity of the geometric shapes of the rooms, the presence of niches and projections;
- panoramic windows;
- widened openings with double doors.
To recreate the antique style you need preliminary preparation. It is necessary to carefully consider all the interior elements and clearly imagine the layout. The ceiling can be decorated with a painting or painting depicting a military battle, an athletic competition, or a luxurious feast. For the floor, designers use mosaic or marble. The walls are artificially aged and decorated with columns, porticoes, and bas-reliefs. The painting can be located not only on the ceiling, but also on the walls. Glass, crystal, mirror elements in antique design will emphasize the uniqueness of this style. Large mirrors in elegant frames are not uncommon in antique-style rooms. Elegant furniture, the use of upholstery made from natural fabrics, environmentally friendly textiles (linen, teak, satin) characterize the antique style of the premises.
Color solution
Antique style - these are natural materials, without additional coloring. Therefore, initially the interior design in the style of antiquity was muted in color.
In spacious apartments it is much easier to embody the basic elements of antiquity
The interior of that time was dominated by shades of white, brown, beige, and black. Sometimes you could find decorations in blue, olive, or terracotta. Designers of our time prefer to use a contrast of two colors in the interior: black and white, beige and brown, light olive and green. To add saturation, masters of design art have to resort to using several shades of the same color. In any case, no loud or bright colors are suitable for creating an antique spirit in the interior.
Decoration of ceiling, floor and walls
Compliance with the style largely depends on what materials and colors were used in the finishing of the load-bearing elements.
Ceiling
The entire ceiling can be divided into rectangles or squares. For this purpose, wooden beams with beautiful carvings (caisson structure) are used. The ceilings are decorated with stucco, bas-reliefs, and decorative plaster. The sections are painted or painted in accordance with the chosen color scheme.
You can create such a ceiling using modern materials
Modern materials make it possible to imitate antique ceiling designs. For this purpose, multi-level stretch fabrics. They are decorated with polyurethane decor in the form of stucco molding and rosettes. Photo printing will look original on suspended ceiling with reproduction of the beauty of the sky. If you skillfully bring lighting to such a ceiling, the interior will become unusual and memorable.
Floor
Usage natural stone and clay is not always affordable for home owners; these materials can be replaced with more modern and cheaper ones. For example, wooden parquet, natural marble or stone tiles.
Imitation natural materials or their use - necessary points in creating an antique design
Walls
Increasingly, instead of natural stone, they use decorative plaster various shades.
Soft, muted tones will help embody the style of antiquity
It is acceptable to paint on the walls or use frescoes, stucco moldings, bas-reliefs, and borders. The frescoes testify to the campaigns of ancient heroes, battles, illustrate myths or repeat the beauty of nature.
Frescoes are the most common embodiment of antiquity on walls
It is difficult to imagine the antique style without columns and pilasters. If space is required to place columns, then pilasters will fit perfectly into modern interiors small sizes. Vertical ledges will help create the spirit of antiquity without taking up much space.
Furniture
Luxury, wealth or a good imitation of them - this is what characterizes antique style furniture. At the same time, items should be practical and simple. Typically, furniture is made from valuable species wood and inlaid with gold elements. A round table on one leg or a rectangular creation on three/four “supports” surrounded by chairs, armchairs, benches is typical of the antique style. If designers want to accurately reproduce the furniture of those times, then you can find craftsmen who will build real klismos and kline.
Kline and klismos in the interior will emphasize the commitment to antiquity
In the first case, this is furniture of low design with the following elements:
- round back;
- widely spaced curved legs;
- footrest.
Kline is a kind of synthesis of a bed, sofa and klismos. It is interesting that such furniture was used not only for relaxation, but also for eating in a reclining position. The shapes of all furniture items are streamlined and soft. Sharp corners or complex geometric designs will look inorganic in an antique interior. You can find suitable furniture from antique dealers. If this is not possible, you can try artificial aging modern items interior
Lighting
Panoramic windows - characteristic antique style. Large window openings, however, are not able to perform the function of lighting the room to the extent needed in the evening and at night. Therefore, designers provide for the inclusion of many devices in the lighting system: lamps, floor lamps, sconces, chandeliers. It is desirable that the light emanating from these devices in the evening be diffused and soft.
Lamps in the form of candelabra are appropriate in antique design
Artificial fireplaces imitating ancient Greek hearths, wall lamps in the form of torches, candelabra and candles are excellent options for additional lighting of rooms. The main emphasis should still be on the chandelier suspended in the center of the ceiling. The material suitable for the chandelier is bronze or crystal.
A stylized lamp will create an atmosphere of antiquity in the interior
It is acceptable in our time to use hidden modern light sources - backlights, spotlights.
Accents of antique style in modern design
A modern interior in the spirit of antiquity can be emphasized by focusing on the characteristic elements of this style:
- columns and pilasters;
- aged furniture;
- frescoes of antique themes;
- decorative elements.
Floor vases, chests analogous to antique furniture items, busts famous people of that era - all this will make the interior stylish and similar to the homes of the ancient Romans and Greeks.
Interior decoration accepts the use of several or one floor vase of the chosen style
Decorative elements used in antique style:
- Plant or floral imitations - leaves, flowers, stems in the form of intricate designs, inlays or carvings.
- Geometric images (spirals, meanders).
- Mythical characters in the form of sphinxes, mystical lions, unprecedented birds and animals.
- Images of battles (on ceilings, walls, on frescoes).
If the dimensions of the room allow, then majestic statues must be placed in the interior of the antique style; in the case of decorating small rooms, you can use busts depicting famous figures of that era.
The premises for such statues should be quite spacious
Textiles should be rich and natural (linen, hemp, wool). Furniture upholstery and curtains do not tolerate synthetic materials. It is advisable to use a lot of folds and draperies in curtains. Luxurious curtains decorate not only window openings, but also walls; fabrics can also be seen on the ceiling.
When using decorative elements, it is necessary to observe the measure so that the design of the room does not go beyond the chosen style.
Video: examples of antique style in the interior
Antique style in the design of different rooms
Premises for various functional purposes are decorated in antique style.
Living room
There is a huge scope for antique design in this room. It is good if the room being designed is large, with high ceilings. In such an interior you can place frescoes and tapestries without being constrained in size. Large-scale panels will create the atmosphere of the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
A modern embodiment of antiquity in the living room interior
The niches house statues of great figures of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. The presence of large floor vases will enliven the atmosphere in the living room and help emphasize antiquity. A lamp in the form of a torch looks organic on the walls of the living room; it’s even better if there are sconces in the form of candelabra. When the floor is made of expensive breeds wood or stone, then you should not hide it under carpets, but if modern materials were used for the floor, then it is best to hide them under a beautiful and rich carpet with an appropriate ornament. The furniture in the living room should not only be luxurious and rich (made of natural wood with leather upholstery), but also comfortable, because this room is intended for receiving guests and conducting small talk.
Bedroom
You should not install massive columns or sculptures in the interior of the bedroom, even if the room conditions allow this. Rest at night will not be very comfortable surrounded by majestic objects. You can do it much simpler by using only one main item of this style in the bedroom - the bed. A beautiful patterned back, carved decorative elements, fabric upholstery - these are the main features of an antique bed in a modern interior.
the main role The setting includes a bed with a beautiful headboard
An excellent design solution would be to place the bed in a niche. You can use a built-in alcove, or you can create an artificial recess in the wall yourself. Wallpaper with gilding on the walls is acceptable in a modern antique-style bedroom. Preference in lighting should be given to soft and diffused light coming from lamps in the form of candelabra or candles. Lighting fixtures are located on both sides of the head of the bed. Lots of soft and comfortable textile pillows, beautiful thick curtains will complement the antique design of the bedroom. The main thing is to maintain the color scheme of the entire room without going beyond the style.
Hallway
The central element of the hallway is a mirror. For an antique design, you need to find a mirror in a gilded frame, and place lighting fixtures on either side of it that imitate lit candles or torches. For complete illumination of the hallway, use modern methods - fluorescent lamps on the ceiling, decorated with a portico with ornaments. Imitation or use of natural stone and marble on the walls will be quite suitable in style to antique design. If it is not possible to use expensive natural materials, you can use Venetian plaster. The floor can be laid with ceramic tiles, plain or with a pattern.
This is what a modern embodiment of an antique style might look like in a hallway
For furniture in the hallway, it is enough to place a low stool on curved legs with gilding or inlay and a chest with decorative carvings. It is advisable to decorate the entrance opening with columns; the use of an arched vault is also permitted.
Bathroom
To embody antiquity in the bathroom, you will need to install a beautiful bathtub on decorative curved legs. If the room allows, then this item can be placed in the center; in this case, a round-shaped bathroom looks great. The bathtub and washbasin can be placed on a kind of pedestal.
Modern plumbing goes well with antique elements
For furniture, a chair with a high back and a fabric ottoman for the feet will be useful. Antique style in the bathroom is incomplete without massive large mirror in an elegant frame. You can put stylized ceramic tiles on the floor. An image of mythical characters, laid out using modern materials (ceramic granite, tiles), is appropriate on the wall. Color preferences for decorating a bathroom in an antique style are white combined with gold.
Kitchen
The room for preparing and consuming food can also be decorated taking into account the design of ancient times. Beige, olive, and white colors are suitable for introducing an antique style kitchen. The main thing is to try to keep all design elements in the same color. Crystal beautiful chandeliers with modern lamps not only will they illuminate the entire kitchen well, but will also help to recreate the spirit of antiquity.
Situation kitchen area completely designed in the style of antiquity
A large amount of stucco molding and bas-reliefs can be used on the ceiling and walls of the kitchen. Similar elements are added to the facades of kitchen units. It is advisable to implement a coffered ceiling in kitchens with high ceilings, otherwise this design will stand out from the overall style solution and visually reduce the parameters of the kitchen. The floor in the kitchen is designed in contrasting colors to the rest of the decor. An excellent option is a combination of beige and dark brown shades. A mosaic floor covering will not spoil the appearance of an antique-style kitchen. Ceramic tiles marble or natural stone should be placed in the work apron area.
Photo gallery: antique style in modern times
The antique style in the bathroom looks sophisticated and stylish The grandeur and beauty of the furnishings do not exclude convenience and functionality The contrast of colors in the interior looks original The hallway, kitchen, dining room are combined and designed in the spirit of antiquity Statues are an invariable attribute of antique design
Antique style in a modern interior will add majesty to the room. The implementation of this design is most suitable for large apartments. You should not oversaturate such an environment with unnecessary decor, because the style solution of antiquity is self-sufficient and beautiful.
It represents one of the peaks of the artistic heritage of the distant past. She laid the foundation for European architecture and the art of construction. The main feature is that the ancient architecture of Greece had religious overtones and was created for sacrifices to the gods, bringing gifts to them and holding mass events on this occasion.
Historians divide the history of the building art of ancient civilization into five periods: archaic, early classical, classical, Hellenistic and Roman rule. Next we will talk about each of them, as well as about the most famous temples built by the ancient Greeks, in more detail.
Archaic period
Duration of the archaic period: from the 7th century. BC e. until the time of the Athenian legislator and politician Solon (about 590 BC). In the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. The architecture of Greece reflected the most advanced aspects of society. As a result of the development of the Greek polis, the growth of democratic forces accelerated, and this led to an intense struggle of the people against the elite of the aristocrats. During this period, the temple, which was erected by the entire polis, became the main public building - a repository of the treasury and treasures and popular celebrations at the same time. As a result of persistent searches, the main elements were formed ancient architecture- order (a strict system reflecting the location and relationship of columns) and entablature (overlapping).
Features of temples of the archaic period
From the primitive buildings of the Homeric era, an early type of stone structure grew, the so-called “temple in the Antes.” On the front side it has a portico formed by the projections of the side walls (antes) and two columns standing in the middle. These include, in particular, the Athens Treasury in Delphi (pictured above), built from Parisian marble. The approximate date of construction is 510-480. BC e. The building was excavated and reconstructed in 1903-1906.
Next, the antes were replaced with columns, and a new ancient temple arose - the prostyle. It had an open portico. The further addition of four more columns on the opposite side, near the entrance to the treasury (amphiprostyle), was the first step towards building the so-called peripeter - a temple completely open on all sides. And although all these types developed simultaneously, the last one still became dominant.
Each building had a main room - (an altar), where a sculptural image of a revered god or goddess was located. It was called "naos".
Early classical period
In the early classical period, which lasted from 590 to 470. BC BC, ancient architecture gradually freed itself from foreign trends brought from Egypt and Asia. Like painting and sculpture, it became one of the most striking manifestations of the humanity and democracy of the culture of classical Greece.
In the proportions of temples built during this period, there is strict orderliness and proportionality in the scale and number of columns, as well as other parts of the building. All this gives the architecture of the early classical period strength and beauty. A new type of temple was formed - the Doric, which later became widespread.
Ancient temples of Greece of the early classical period: Hera in Olympia, Apollo in Delphi, Zeus in Athens, Pallas Athens on the island. Aegina (photo above). It is noteworthy that in Sicily and Young Italy there are much more architectural monuments of these times; at that time the richest Greek colonies were located there. In particular, the Temple of Poseidon in Paestum. We should not forget about one of the seven wonders of the world - the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, which was burned by Herostratus.
Temple of Poseidon at Paestum
This monument of ancient Greek architecture is also known to contemporaries under the name II Temple of Hera. Perhaps it can be considered the most powerful and austere building in the Doric style, dating back to 5 BC. e. In his stern and simple appearance, he reflected the ideas of the heroic struggle of the people for independence from the invading Persians. Part of the upper columns, internal two-tier colonnades and external ones, rising on a solid foundation, have survived to this day. Like more of this area (former Poseidonia), it is built from very hard crystalline shell rock. On top it was treated with a thin layer of plaster. The principle of regularity is observed in architecture. The building has impressive dimensions: 60 m long and 24 m wide.
Temple II of Hera is located in Italy (40 km southeast of Salerno). Now it is open to tourists. Entry costs 4 or 6 euros (includes a visit to the Archaeological Museum in Paestum).
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
The temple was recognized as one of the seven wonders that existed in the ancient world. It is located on the territory modern city Selcuk (Türkiye). The building has a complex and tragic history.
The first and largest construction on this place was erected in the middle of the 6th century. BC e., and in 356 Herostratus burned it. Soon the ancient temple was restored to its previous appearance, but in the third century it was damaged again, this time by the Goths. In the 4th century. The sanctuary was first closed and then destroyed due to the professing of a new religion - Christianity and the prohibition of pagan customs and cults. The church built in its place, however, also did not stand for long.
According to mythology, Artemis was Apollo's twin sister. She took care of all living things on earth (animals, plants), looked after them and protected them. She did not deprive people of her attention, bestowing happiness in marriage and blessing the birth of offspring. The cult of the goddess in Ephesus has existed since time immemorial. In honor of her, the townspeople built a huge temple (length 105 m, width 52 m, height of 127 columns installed in eight rows, equal to 18 m). The Lydian king donated funds for it. Construction took quite a long time, and during this time several architects changed. The temple was built of snow-white marble, and the statue of the goddess was made of ivory and gold. It was the business and financial center of the city, and religious ceremonies were also held there. This ancient temple did not belong to the city authorities and was completely under the control of a college of priests. Currently, only one restored column can be seen on the site of the temple. In Miniaturk Park (Türkiye) you can look at a model of the temple (pictured above).
Classical period in architecture
The Classical period lasted from 470 to 388. BC e. - this is the time of the heyday of the state, the era of higher democracy and growth. The best craftsmen from all over Greece flock to Athens. The paths of development of architecture are inextricably linked with the name of the greatest sculptor ancient world- Fidia. The outstanding politician and activist Pericles outlined a large-scale and grandiose plan for the development of the Acropolis. It was under the leadership of Phidias during the second half of the 5th century BC. e. One of the most ambitious construction projects was underway, upon completion of which a perfect architectural ensemble appeared, headed by the Parthenon. The Athenian Acropolis was richly decorated with sculptures of the master and his students.
In general, the Doric type of temples continues to predominate in the architecture of the classical period. However, it becomes lighter in form and bolder in composition. Gradually, the Ionic and Corinthian styles are being introduced into everyday life. In Greece itself, temples become noble, elegant and light. Particular attention is paid to proportions and material. Architects use white marble, which is easier to finely work. One of the most remarkable architectural monuments of those times is the Temple of Theseus, located in Athens. This is a clear example of how the Doric style was softened in Attica.
At the same time, the Doric style continues to dominate in Sicily, striking in the colossal nature of its structures.
Parthenon
The Acropolis of Athens is a rocky hill 156 m high with a flat top, having a length of about 300 m and a width of 170 m. It is here that the main monument of ancient architecture rises - the magnificent Parthenon. The temple is dedicated to the patroness of all Attica and Athens, in particular to the virgin goddess Athena. It was erected in 447-438. by the architect Callicrates according to a design created by the ancient Greek architect Ictinus, and richly decorated under the direction of the sculptor Phidias. Now the temple is in ruins, restoration work is actively underway.
The Parthenon is an ancient temple, which is a Doric peripeter with elements of the Ionic style. It is located on three marble steps, having a height of about 1.5 m. The temple is surrounded on all sides by a colonnade: 8 columns on the facades of the building and 17 on each side.
The material from which the sanctuary was built is Pentilian marble. The masonry was dry, that is, it was carried out without the use of fastening mortar or cement.
Temple of Zeus at Olympia
The Temple of Olympian Zeus was one of the most revered in Ancient Greece. This building, which is a genuine example of the Doric order, also belongs to the classical period. The temple was founded during the 52nd Olympiad, but construction was completed only between 472-456. BC e. all by the same Phidias.
It was a classic peripterus with 13 columns along the building and 6 along its width. The temple was built from limestone-shell rock, delivered from Poros. The height of the structure reached 22 m, width - 27 m, and length - 64 m. Information about the appearance became available thanks to excavations in 1875, carried out under the leadership of the German archaeologist E. Curtius. Inside the temple there was another of the seven wonders of the ancient world - this was the chrysoelephantine statue of Zeus created by Phidias, the height of which exceeded 10 m.
The Temple of Zeus, along with many others at Olympia, was destroyed at the behest of Emperor Theodosius II, as evidence of pagan faith and tradition. The surviving remains were finally buried under rubble during the earthquake of 522 and 551 BC. e. The fragments of the temple found as a result of excavations are kept mainly in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, several in the Louvre in Paris.
Temple of the fire god Hephaestus
The ancient temple from the classical period, dedicated to Hephaestus, has been preserved in the best possible way compared to the rest. It was probably built between 449 and 415. BC e. The sanctuary is a building of the Doric order. Information about the architect has not been preserved; it was probably the same architect who was involved in the construction of the temple of Ares on the Agora and of Nemesis in Ramnunt.
The building was not destroyed during the rise of Christianity. Moreover, the temple was used as an Orthodox church named after. St. George from the 17th century to 1834. It was then given the status of a national monument.
Hellenistic period
In the period from 338 to 180. BC e. Greek architecture begins to lose its characteristic purity of taste. She is influenced by the sensuality and splendor that penetrated Hellas from the East. Sculptors, artists and architects are more concerned about the effectiveness of the building and its splendor. One can feel the passion for the Corinthian style everywhere. Civil buildings are being erected - theaters, palaces, etc.
Famous temples of Greece during the Hellenistic period are dedicated to Winged Athena (in Tegea), Zeus (in Nemea). Many grandiose and luxurious buildings appeared during this period in Asia Minor. In particular, the huge temple of F. Didimsky in Miletus (pictured above).
Roman Empire period
The creation of the empire of A. Macedonian put an end to the period of classics and Greek democracy. During the Hellenistic period, Greek art passed through its last phase of development. Having fallen under the rule of Rome, Greece lost its former greatness, and architectural activity was almost completely stopped. However, the artists who came to the eternal city brought the traditions of their art and contributed to the improvement of Roman architecture. During this period (180-90 BC), Greek art practically merged with Roman art.
Terms for the seminar and lecture on the topic “Culture of Antiquity”.
Antique culture– the culture of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome in the period from the 11th century BC. to the 5th century AD
Hellene- the word the Greeks used to call their own people. Derived from the name of the legendary hero - Hellen, who, according to legend, was the progenitor of the Greek family.
Space in ancient culture - order and harmony, a beautiful whole.
Agonistics- the spirit of struggle and competition, an important characteristic of ancient culture.
Kalokagathia – harmonious development spiritual and physical qualities, an important characteristic of ancient culture.
Paideia- a system of raising children that realizes all their abilities
Gymnasium– a sports ground, a room for physical exercise and training in Ancient Greece. Later they became centers of intellectual life with study rooms and a library.
Palaestra- a school of wrestling in Ancient Greece.
Great Panathenaea- festivities in honor of the goddess Athena in Athens were held once every 4 years.
Amphidromy- a celebration of the naming of a newborn and his adoption into the family in Ancient Greece.
Anthesteria- a spring festival in Athens, when new wine from the autumn harvest was served. Children who reached the age of three were given special jugs.
Acropolis- a fortified fortress built on a high place.
Agora- a square in a Greek city that served as a market and the main meeting place for citizens.
Andron- a feast hall in an ancient Greek residential building, where only men could be present.
Gynoecium– the female half in a residential building.
Getera- an unmarried, educated woman who led a free lifestyle and knew how to entertain men by playing musical instruments, talking, and singing.
standing- a long covered gallery with columns that protected from the sun, wind and rain. It was located in the agora.
Policy is a city-state with elected government, strong public independence of all freeborn citizens and communal-private property.
Ostracism- a voting procedure carried out in the Athens People's Assembly to expel an undesirable politician. The name comes from the word " ostraca "- a piece of clay shard on which the name of the one they wanted to expel was written.
Metek- in Ancient Greece, foreigners (who moved to one or another polis), as well as slaves who were freed. Athenian metics, being personally free, had no political rights, could not marry Athenian citizens and, as a rule, own real estate.
Twelve Ancient Greek Olympian Gods: Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Demeter, Artemis, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hestia and Dionysus.
Amphitheater– in the ancient Greek theater – seats for spectators located on the slopes of the hills; in ancient Roman architecture, an open circular or elliptical structure for spectacles, in which seats for spectators were located on ledges around the arena.
Theater- a type of art, an artistic reflection of life phenomena through dramatic action that arises in the process of actors playing in front of the audience.
Rhapsode- a wandering singer, performer of epic poems at religious festivals, feasts, and poetry competitions.
Epic– narrative literature, one of the three main types of fiction (along with lyrics and drama).
Orchestra- a round platform in the ancient Greek theater on which the choir and actors performed.
Skena - a temporary wooden room for actors to change clothes and exit, located behind the orchestra.
Theatron- seats for spectators, bordering the orchestra like an amphitheater on the slope of a gentle hill.
Catharsis- a term of ancient aesthetics, denoting the sublime satisfaction and enlightenment that the viewer experiences after experiencing suffering and being freed from it.
Lyra- a stringed musical instrument that was made from turtle shell and bull horns, and later from wood.
Kouros– male statue of the archaic period.
Bark– female statue of the archaic period.
Capital- the crowning part of a column or pilaster, protruding beyond the column.
Flute- a vertical groove on the trunk of a column or pilaster, as well as horizontal grooves on the base of an Ionic order column.
Pilaster- a vertical projection of a wall, usually having a base and a capital, and thereby conventionally representing a column.
Gable- the completion (usually triangular) of the facade of a building, limited by two roof slopes on the sides and a cornice at the base.
Volute- an architectural motif that is a spiral-shaped curl with a circle (“eye”) in the center. It is an integral part of the capitals of columns of the Ionic, Corinthian and Composite orders.
Caryatid- a statue of a dressed woman, introduced into use by ancient Greek architecture to support the entablature (upper, supported part) and, therefore, replacing a column or pilaster.
Propylaea- a monumental structure that forms the entrance to the city, to an architectural ensemble, for example, in ancient Greek architecture - the entrance to the Athenian Acropolis.
Cella- the interior of an ancient temple where a statue of a god or goddess stood.
Terracotta– a mixture of unfired clay, sand and baked clay particles. A material popular in Ancient Greece for making tiles, dishes, and small figurines.
Amphora- a vessel for wine or oil, tapering downward, with a narrow neck and two handles.
Pithos– a large ceramic vessel for storing grain in Ancient Greece.
Fresco– painting on wet plaster with water-based paints.
Red-figure vase painting- a type of vase painting where a black lacquer coating filled the background, and the figures were depicted in the natural color of baked clay.
Black-figure vase painting– a type of vase painting with black figures on a red background.
Chiton- women's clothing, which was made from a single piece of fabric fastened at the shoulders.
Himantium- a type of cloak or scarf worn by both men and women in ancient Greece.
Toga- the official ceremonial attire of a Roman citizen: a piece of thick fabric that was worn and wrapped several times around the body, forming special folds.
Atrius- the central room in a Roman house.
Aqueduct- a channel or pipe for supplying water.
Viaduct– a bridge built by the ancient Romans to create a road across a river or gorge.
Etruscans- a people who arrived in Italy, most likely from Asia Minor ca. 800 BC The area of settlement of the Etruscans in Northwestern and Central Italy was called Etruria.
Latins- people who came approx. 2000 BC to Italy from Central Europe. The Latins settled in the region of Latium (a plain on the northwestern coast of the Apennine Peninsula, on which Rome itself is located).
Gladiator(from Latin gladius - “sword”) - a fighter in Ancient Rome who fought with his own kind for the amusement of the public in special arenas.
Chapter “City and Dwelling” of the subsection “Architecture of Ancient Greece during its heyday (480-400 BC)” of the section “Architecture of Ancient Greece” from the book “ General history architecture. Volume II. Architecture of the Ancient World (Greece and Rome)” edited by V.F. Marcusona.
The growth of productive forces and the growing power of the Greek city-states caused in the 5th century. BC e. enhanced urban development. This affected the construction of city fortifications and various public buildings. A new type of dwelling was also formed - the city house of the slave owner.
During this period, Greek urban planning theory was born. The need for simple geometric methods of layout and systematic construction of cities undoubtedly arose back in the 8th-7th centuries. BC, during the period of intense Greek colonization. Perhaps at the same time the first elements of a regular city appeared, implemented, for example, in the rectangular street network of Selinunte and, possibly, in a similar layout of one of the districts of Olbia, the Milesian colony on the Bug estuary in the northern Black Sea region. The next reliably dated rectangular street network was laid out in 479 BC. during the restoration of Miletus, destroyed by the Persians in 494 BC. But the formation of a holistic theory of the regular city, which laid the foundation for urban planning science, became possible only in the middle of the 5th century. BC, when tall forms The state structure gave the polis organizational and material opportunities to solve urban planning problems in practice.
Aristotle attributes the “invention” of the regular city to the Milesian architect Hippodamus, whose activity developed, however, mainly in Athens. The essence of the “Hippodamian” (or “regular”) city should not be reduced, as is usually done now, only to a rectangular network of streets of equal width dividing the territory regardless of its configuration and topography, as well as to the location of public buildings, agora and sanctuaries on rectangular plots equal to or multiples of a standard block. The high praise given by Aristotle to Hippodamus (Politics, II, 5.11) is most likely an important proof that the latter substantially supplemented the previously existing scheme. The example of Olynthos, founded in the 5th century. BC e., allows us to get an idea of the actual content of the “Hippodamian system”. Excavations of the city indicate that the regular planning scheme during this period was directly related to social problem intra-city settlement and architectural organization of the entire development, right down to the layout of residential areas and houses. The urban planning ideas of the Greeks were thus much more mature, and the "Hippodamian system", although not often implemented during the classical period, was undoubtedly associated with social structure polis and its most advanced social ideals. This connection was manifested in the division of residential areas into equal plots of land, which were provided to all equal members of the slave-owning community and were simultaneously built upon *.
* Wed. "General History of Architecture". Short course, vol. I. M., 1958, p. 121.
New urban planning ideas were promoted with particular success in the advanced Athenian polis, and although Athens itself remained an irregular city, it implemented the Hippodamian system when planning its port city of Piraeus (446-445 BC) and the colony - Thurii, founded on the initiative Pericles in Magna Graecia (444-443 BC). According to Strabo (XIV, 2.9), Hippodamus also participated in the planning of Rhodes, founded in 408 BC. e. In this case, he must have been a very young man during the period of development of his native Miletus, from where he could bring advanced urban planning ideas to Athens. Information about the cities attributed to Hippodamus is equally scarce. Thus, in Piraeus, the geometric correctness of the street network of which is beyond doubt, various reconstructions of the plan, despite the excavations carried out, do not have sufficient grounds, only the remains of walls and fortifications have been preserved, and our information about the city is drawn mainly from descriptions of ancient authors * ( Thucydides, II, 93, 3-7, II, 48, 2; 90, 4-5. Plutarch. Themistocles, 19). From them it is known that the Furies had three longitudinal and four transverse streets, densely built up with houses. We know even less about Rhodes of this era, and the main source of our information about the first regular cities is Miletus(Fig. 4).
Situated on a peninsula jutting out into the sea, the new city occupied (by rough estimates) an area of up to 90 hectares and consisted of two parts, separated by a wide space occupied by public buildings. The sizes of the residential areas of both parts of the city were different, their street networks were not interconnected, and their orientation did not coincide. It can therefore be assumed that the northern part, including big market and a number of public buildings, formed the original core, and the southern part was a further expansion. The city was surrounded by walls, in the ring of which the “Lion” (northern) bay was also included, through a pier.
The same era dates back to Knidus layout(Fig. 5). The longer streets of the city are stretched along the mountainside, and the short, transverse ones have turned (as in Hellenistic Priene) into stepped ascents; The acropolis rises above the city. Since Cnidus is located by the sea, its agora is pushed towards the shore. The harbors, as at Miletus, were included in the ring of walls surrounding the lower regular city and the acropolis.
Got a regular layout Megalopolis, founded in the Peloponnese by the Arcadians in 370 BC. e. (Fig. 6). It was surrounded by a defensive wall 50 stadia (9 1/4 km) long, apparently built of mud brick on a stone base. The reconstruction of the city was made on the basis of the descriptions of Pausanias (“Description of Hellas”, VIII, 30.3). It is in connection with the Megalopolis that Pausanias mentions the Ionic type of agora, characterized by a continuous portico surrounding the square on three sides, while on the fourth side it is adjacent to the street. Excavations established the position of the agora (as well as its general layout) and other important public buildings and ensembles, and also confirmed the regularity of the layout of the central part of the city.
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| 6. Megalopolis, from 370 BC: 1 - plan of the location of the city’s structures uncovered by excavations; 2 - schematic plan of the agora: a - Philip's portico; b - city government building; c - Myropolis; g - sanctuary of Zeus Soter; d - Fersilion; e - theater; g - altars; h - sources; and - a residential building from Roman times; k - aedicule; l - statue bases; m - Heroon; n - gymnasium; o - sanctuary of the great goddesses; n - Aristandria colonnade |
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Since the regular cities of the classical era either did not survive or were later radically rebuilt, they are of particular interest to us Olynthos excavations, which developed in the V-IV centuries. BC e., was destroyed by the Macedonian king Philip in 348 BC. e. and was never rebuilt again (Fig. 7). The residential areas of Olynthus had the same dimensions, approximately 100X40 m, and were divided in half by a passage about 2 m wide, which served to remove sewage. Each block consisted of two rows of completely identical building plots measuring 19X20 m. Houses on adjacent plots had common side walls, so the development of each block consisted of two residential blocks of five houses each. Thus, a single urban planning plan covered not only the street network and the location of squares, but also the intra-block layout and block development of residential areas. The remarkable layout of Olynthos reflected the most advanced ideas of not only the architectural, but also the social organization of the city, which arose during the peak period of slave-owning democracy. These ideas probably constituted the main, very progressive content of the “Hippodamian system”, forgotten by the time of its widespread use at the end of the 4th century. BC e., when the economic stratification of the polis excluded any possibility of a democratic organization of the quarter.
The direction of streets during the regular planning of Greek cities was determined, apparently, mainly in connection with the relief. The main streets were divided along horizontal lines, and the streets crossing them in some cases were so steep that they turned into stairs, and the adjacent areas were strengthened by retaining walls. The width of the streets varied from 4-5 to 7-8 m. In some cities, one or two streets (intersecting at right angles) were made wider than the others, but they were not architecturally distinguished. There was no uniformity in the orientation of streets according to the cardinal directions.
Modest, mud-brick facades residential buildings They were closely adjacent to one another and were cut through only by openings of entrance doors, and occasionally by lonely windows on the second floor. The monotony of city streets was broken here and there only by public fountains that served for dispensing water. The architecture of the fountains was extremely diverse: it varied from a small vertical stone slab with a sink placed in a niche of the facade, to a multi-column portico with a complex arrangement of water intake basins.
City squares usually occupied areas equal to or multiples of residential areas. The Agora now acquired the significance of not only the main shopping, but also the socio-political square of the city. Sides of the square in the 5th century. BC. were equipped with separate porticos, in contrast to the U-shaped porticos of later times, mentioned in connection with Megalopolis. Near the agora, the most important public buildings and sanctuaries (also equal or multiple in size to residential areas) were usually erected, clearly standing out among the general development of the city with its modest appearance and uniform layout of houses.
As the monumental architecture of stadiums and theaters develops, these structures also sometimes become important elements of the city. But since their location was largely determined by the conditions of the area (in accordance with established practice, places for spectators were arranged on the slopes), the placement of these structures in cities of the 5th-4th centuries. BC. extremely varied. Theaters were often located on the slopes of acropolises.
The cities were surrounded by walls made of mud brick on stone foundations, and from the middle of the 5th century. BC. most often entirely made of stone. The line of the walls usually followed the terrain. Moreover, the fenced area often significantly exceeded the residential area of the city.
An interesting example of fortifications are those built in the middle of the 5th century. BC. “Long walls” connecting Athens with its harbor - Piraeus, located at a distance of 6 km.
The “Long Walls,” built with the participation of Callicrates, like the walls of Piraeus, were destroyed at the end of the 5th century. BC. after the complete defeat of Athens in the war with Sparta, but already at the beginning of the next century it was restored again.
While carrying out these works to fortify their home city, the Athenians achieved such high skill in masonry walls that they used them as a tactical means of warfare to isolate the besieged Syracuse in 415-413. BC.; the speed of construction of the walls amazed the besieged (Thucydides, VI and VII).
Among the stone fortifications of the 5th and 4th centuries. BC. It is worth noting the walls of Mantinea and especially Messene, which stand out for the beauty and strength of the masonry (Fig. 8). A serious fortification structure was the gate, which was often flanked by towers. Good example of this kind is the Arcadian Gate of Messene.
Among engineering structures, harbors occupied the most important place both in terms of the size of the construction and their significance and direct connection with the urban layout. Since the 5th century. BC e. they are sought to be included in the ring of defensive walls (Miletus, Piraeus, Cnidus), sometimes using the pier as a continuation of the fortifications. Harbors were equipped with a number of special structures, porticoes, warehouses and - if they had military significance, like Piraeus - arsenals. However, the remains of such structures that have reached us date back to the next era.
The improvement of Greek cities during the period under review was at a fairly high level. Cities were supplied with water that flowed through pipes to public water fountains.
There is only fragmentary information about urban sewerage, but it undoubtedly existed in many cities. It is known that prisoners taken at the Battle of Himera worked on the sewerage structures in Akragant. On Delos, perhaps already in the classical era, there were sewer channels covered with stone slabs that ran under houses directly into the sea. In Athens, sewage was discharged into the river, which turned into a cesspool because of this. In Olynthos, closed ditches opened into a drainage passage in the middle of the blocks.
Regular planning, naturally, could not be widely used in old cities, but even in those cases where it could be applied, traditions sometimes turned out to be stronger than innovation. Thus, Athens, twice destroyed by the Persians in 490 and 479. BC, were rebuilt, apparently spontaneously, and no serious changes were made to the layout of this largest Attic city, despite the significant scale of construction that began in the 5th century. BC.
The origins of Athens go back to ancient times. Legend credits Theseus with the unification of several settlements. By the 6th century BC. Athens was already Big city, crowded around the rock of the Acropolis - the main cult center of the polis. In addition to this ancient citadel, other public centers stood out in the city: the Pnyx, probably the place of an ancient cult, and then the Athenian national assembly; Areopagus (Hill of Ares) - now a bare rock, formerly the meeting place of the aristocratic council; agora (see below, Fig. 100), originally located, probably, between the Acropolis and the Pnyx, and then moved to the area north of the Areopagus and became the social center of the city. Under Solon, the city was surrounded by walls, but according to the instructions available from Thucydides (VI, 7), we can conclude that it had fortifications before.
At the end of the 6th century. BC. Extensive construction was carried out under Pisistratus. Rebuilt on the Acropolis ancient temple Athens - Hekatompedon, the Theater of Dionysus was built on the southern slope of the Acropolis, the altar of the Twelve Gods was erected on the agora, new sanctuaries were founded in many places in the city. From the distant Hymetian Mountains, almost 12 km away, Pisistratus brought a water supply to the city. The canal was partly carved into the rock, partly laid along a stone aqueduct and supplied water to the main city water cannon or fountain - Callirohe, called from that time Enneakrunos.
By the time of the Persian invasion, the entire area within the city walls was closely built up; the modest dwellings and crooked streets presented a sharp contrast with the wealth and size of the public buildings.
The destruction carried out by the Persians not only wiped out previous buildings and dwellings; The very existence of the independent Athenian state was under threat. Under these conditions, the fortifications of the Acropolis and the city received paramount importance (Fig. 9, 10). Under Themistocles, city walls were built, covering a larger area than the previous ones. The city was, as it were, turned towards the sea, with which it was connected by the “Long Walls”. The "North" and "Phaler" walls were completed around 457 BC. e. The “Middle” or “South” wall, which, like the “North”, extended towards Piraeus, was built around 445 BC.
These structures were erected at the very short term, for construction they did not spare in the search for material either private or public buildings, or tombstones.
In the 2nd half of the 5th century. BC. Construction began on the Acropolis. The central square, the agora, is gradually being built (Fig. 11). Trade and various public buildings are concentrated around it. To the west were: the temple of the Mother of the Gods, the bouleuterium - the meeting place of the Council of Five Hundred (which replaced the building of the 6th century BC), the Prytaneum - the center of united communities where honorary citizens received food, the temple of the Dioscuri, a round building of unknown purpose - the tholos. In the northern part there were Leocorium, “Royal Stoa”, “Motley Stoa” and other buildings. The temple of Hephaestus was built near the agora.
Having retained the previous, spontaneously formed plan of the irregular city and its “irregular” layout of houses, corresponding to randomly shaped blocks (Fig. 12), Athens nevertheless, from the middle of the 5th century. BC. played an outstanding role in the development of Greek urban planning, and at the end of the 5th and 4th centuries. BC. problems of urban planning were the subject of attention of major thinkers - Plato, then Aristotle, who considered the issues of urban planning from the point of view of the interests of the ruling class of a slave-owning society.
Dwellings of the classical period, built from short-lived materials, were almost unknown to science until very recently. Only excavations in Olynthos, the main monument of urban planning of this era, free from later layers, provided sufficiently extensive material for judging this type of buildings of the end of the classical period. The remains of adobe walls that survived the destruction of Olynthos rise above the floor level by 70-80 cm, which made it possible to establish the main features of the layout, structure and decoration of houses and their general scheme, typical for the V-IV centuries. BC.
A network of parallel streets 7.5 m wide, intersected by alleys 5.5 m wide, divided Olynthos into identical rectangular blocks, elongated in the direction from east to west. These blocks, measuring about 85x35 m (300x120 Greek feet), are an interesting example not only of planned development, but also of block construction from antiquity (Fig. 13). They were divided along the longitudinal axis by narrow passages less than 2 inches wide and were delimited into ten equal parts intended for individual developers. Thus, the block contained two rows of houses of five each. The houses had about 17 walls along the facade and common walls wherever they adjoined one another. The democratic principle of allocating plots of equal size to developers did not, however, lead to complete uniformity of planning decisions, but only to a greater or lesser * uniformity of them. Each house had its own characteristics, sometimes very significant, giving its plan an individual character. It happened that, finding himself in need, a householder sold part of his house to a neighbor. But these differences only emphasized the common elements and a single original scheme that underlay the layout of most Olynthian houses, presenting a striking contrast in comparison with, for example, the houses of Delos, the builders of which were forced to adapt to an irregular configuration of quarters. It is very important that even in Olynthos, a city that, as indicated, ceased to exist already in the middle of the 4th century. BC, there are examples of houses that come close to the peristyle type, the origin and development of which until recently was attributed entirely to the Hellenistic era.
These houses were not an isolated phenomenon, but, on the contrary, the most mature version of the most common type of residential building in Olynthus, called pasta.
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| 13. Olynthus. Residential areas between streets V and VII on the northern hill. General plan and reconstruction |
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A characteristic element of a pasta-type house was a courtyard, which occupied 1/5-1/10 of the total area of the house (Fig. 14). He had rectangular shape and was usually set south from the middle of the house, often directly adjacent to its south wall. This made it possible to arrange the main living quarters according to north side at home, opening them not directly into the courtyard, but into an intermediate room - the pastada, which gave the name to the type *. This room, adjacent to the northern side of the courtyard, often extended the entire length of the house. It had a normal ceiling, but was opened towards the courtyard, separated from it by pillars and thus turning into a portico or covered passage.
* In ancient Greek, “pastas” is a room open to one side - a portico.
It is the pastoral type of house found in Olynthus that can be considered as a previously unknown link in the development of ancient housing, which dated back to the 5th and 4th centuries. BC e. and, as stated above, immediately preceded the "peristyle" house.
In many cases, a covered passage (portico) ran not only along the northern side of the courtyard, but on two, three and even four sides. In this latter case, the courtyard turned into a peristyle, which, as already said, until recently was considered to have appeared only in the Hellenistic era. Simplest type with a pastada only on the north side of the courtyard, very common among the small houses of Olynthus, is the initial stage of this development. But even at all subsequent stages, the northern passage was always more developed than the others. This method of solving the plan underlies almost all Olynthian houses that had a courtyard. It is associated with the existing system of regulating temperature and illumination of interior spaces through the skillful use of natural conditions. The rooms, located on the north side of the courtyard and opening towards the south, were protected from the scorching rays of the summer sun by the deep shadow of the northern passage, while in winter the rays of the lower sun penetrated deeper, and the northern passage turned into a kind of reservoir of warm air. The same principles were obviously taken into account when planning the second floor, the existence of which is confirmed by the bases for the stairs: part of the house could be lower so as not to interfere with the rays of the winter sun from heating the pasta and living quarters located in its northern part. Therefore, either the northern part of the house could have two floors, and the southern one - one, or the northern rooms should have greater height than the southern ones; the second solution will be found later in the Hellenistic houses of the “Trident” and “Masks” on Delos (cf. also the variant of the Hellenistic house - the “prostad” type in Priene).
The location of the stairs, which were wooden, was established in many cases thanks to the stones that served as their base and the first step. Most often, the staircase was located at one of the walls of the patio, usually the outside one. There is no direct data on the plan of the second floor of Olynthian houses. But if we take the second floor to be equal in area to the first, then it could accommodate about a dozen more rooms. In Athens, the second floors often overhung the first (similar to how it was in Pompeii). This may have happened in other cities as well. This technique became so widespread that already at the end of the 6th century. BC e. in Athens, second floors hanging over the first were subject, as Aristotle points out, to a special tax, and later were completely prohibited.
All doors and windows in Olynthian houses usually faced the courtyard, and therefore external walls the houses were deaf. It did internal layout houses independent of the shape and orientation of the blocks, allowing the courtyard and the main premises around it to be located in full accordance with the principles set out above in any direction of the streets in relation to the cardinal points.
The entrance to the house led from the street, as a rule, directly into the courtyard, and only in cases where this turned out to be impracticable, they resorted to constructing an additional passage. External doors (Fig. 15) often retreated from the street into the interior of the house, forming a small shaded niche in front of the entrance. In Olynthos, houses are also known with two external entrances (see the Villa of Good Fate in Olynthos and some houses located at the corners of the blocks).
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15. Langazi. Marble tomb door, circa 200 BC. e. (museum in Istanbul); doors and windows of residential buildings - according to the drawings on the vases 16. Olynthus. Villa "Good Fate". Floor mosaic |
The most ceremonial room was the andron, or men's room, intended mainly for feasts. This room in the rich houses of Olynthus was often combined with a small entrance hall. Sometimes, in order to better illuminate the andron, it was located on the eastern side of the courtyard, directly next to the southern outer wall house, in which one or more windows were installed in these cases. The floors of the andron were made of mosaics (Fig. 16); along the walls they were slightly raised, forming something like low benches, on which, in all likelihood, a bed for feasts was arranged.
Another important room in a Hellenic residential building was the oikos, which is a room with a main fireplace. She has been identified in many Olynthian houses. Here it was possible to restore an interesting system for removing smoke: part of the oikos was separated by a high wall, raised to the very roof of the house so that the resulting narrow room served as a chimney (Fig. 17). In two-story houses, it rose to their entire height without interfloor overlap. Under the ceiling, in the wall separating the main space of the oikos from the chimney, there was an opening through which the smoke from the large fireplace was drawn out. Since the lower part of such a peculiar chimney remained free of smoke, another, additional, hearth was often installed here. It was not possible to establish how the smoke outlet, which corresponded to the upper part of our chimneys, was constructed, since the upper parts of the houses were not preserved.
High level of development of housing architecture and achieved comfort characterize well-equipped bathrooms discovered in twenty-three houses out of a hundred excavated at Olynthos (one of them even had two bathrooms). They usually connected with the kitchens and had plastered walls and mostly cement floors. Bathtubs in the form of terracotta or stone chairs were usually located in the corner of the room and were buried in the ground so that their edges were flush with the floor.
The main material for the houses of Olynthus, as well as for all residential architecture of ancient Greece, was unfired brick (raw brick), from which the walls were laid. Stone was used for foundations and was used very rarely for walls (even the palace of Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, according to Vitruvius, had adobe walls). Wood was used for floors, and tiles were used for roofing - the only durable material (however, this was also excluded in cases where a flat earthen roof was used).
At Olynthus, several houses outside the block blocks with more individual plans were discovered. They were located somewhat out of the way, without connection with the regular layout of the entire city. An example of this individual house, very richly decorated, is the so-called house of the “Comic Actor”; the fact that its walls were not sandwiched by neighboring houses made it possible to move the chimney beyond the rectangular base of the plan; the chimney began at ground level, opening into a room with a fireplace in the form of a kind of alcove, divided in the middle by an additional support.
Another rich house outside the block blocks is the so-called Villa of Good Fortune, whose mosaic floors are the best found in Olynthos. Both houses have fully formed courtyards surrounded by walkways on all four sides. These courtyards come closest to the peristyle courtyards of the Hellenistic era, from which, however, they differ in a significant feature: in Olynthian houses, the walkways are separated from the courtyards not by columns, but by pillars, to which the piers were reduced in order to further expand the openings that opened into the courtyard. This allows us to consider the roundabouts of Olynthian houses as pastadas, extremely open and extended to all four sides of the courtyard. At the end of the 4th or beginning of the 3rd century. BC e. pillars gave way to wooden or stone columns. The initial phase of this transition from pastadic to peristyle houses is also reflected in the palace at Larissa (Asia Minor), built around 450 BC. e., in a new palace there, dating back to the middle of the next century (Fig. 18), as well as in some early houses of Delos.
As for the interior of the home of the classical era, it basically remained simple and unpretentious in accordance with the simplicity of life and morals. Nevertheless, painting was undoubtedly used in residential buildings, information about which was supplemented by the excavations of Olynthos.
The walls facing the courtyard and interior spaces were plastered and painted, usually in three colors, separated by stripes pressed into the plaster. Sometimes the lower band, imitating orphostat blocks, divided the same vertical stripes into a series of segments. The width of the stripes and their colors were different.
So, in one of the houses along the bottom of the wall there was a white belt 0.4 m high, above it there was a narrow yellow stripe, above which the surface of the wall was completely painted with red paint. There is a coloring of the basement part of the wall and in yellow, and the narrow stripe lying above it is blue. On the last one you can see plastically executed palmettes. No figurative compositions were found in the wall paintings.
Compared to the simple and strict coloring of the walls, the decoration of the floors was much more rich in design. The floors of courtyards and front rooms of rich houses were decorated with mosaics of multi-colored pebbles. Simple geometric patterns, various ornaments, images of animals and fantastic creatures, as well as multi-figure scenes from Hellenic mythology were laid out here. In more modest dwellings there were adobe floors, often covered with lime mortar and painted in one tone (for example, yellow). The courtyards were also paved with stone slabs.
In general, the excavations of Olynthos showed a greater maturity of residential architecture of the classical period - a maturity that was reflected not only in the first experiments in block development of city blocks, but also in the “pastad” type of residential building characteristic of this time *. Compliance of this type with social, living and climatic requirements and great opportunities variations led to the wide spread of the pastoral house, which was the basis for the subsequent development of ancient Greek housing.
* Houses of this type, in addition to Olynthos, were also discovered in Pella, Eretria, and also in Delos, where the “House on the Hill,” which, however, already dates back to the Hellenistic era, is an excellent example of a pastadic-peristyle house.
Thus, during the era under consideration, not only urban planning techniques were formed, but also elements of residential architecture, the further development of which took place in the subsequent Hellenistic era.