Classical Civilization

 Classical Civilization

Within this time period, ancient Greece became known to the Minoans and Mycenaeans, then Roman art and design took off, inspired by Greece. While they both led the way for architecture, art, and design, they still held differences and characteristics specific to their region.

Greece

The Mycenaeans lived on the mainland of Greece and the Minoans were centered
on the island of Crete. On Crete, Neolithic communities rose and benefited from the protection that the island gave them from their enemies. The Minoans based their civilization off of the Greek mythology and their historical figures: Minos, Daedalus, Icarus, Theseus, and Ariadne. This concept further emphasizes the fact that within ancient Greece, a lot of what was history and a lot of what was a myth was blurred and intertwined. The Palace of Knossos, for example, is one of the most important structures on the island and reflects the story of the labyrinths that were derived from those who saw the palace's ruins as rubble. Unlike a temple, the grandeur of the palace was from the presence of hundreds of rooms, as opposed to the size of them.

Back on the mainland, the Mycenaeans also strayed from building temples, and opted for palaces. A lot of what was built on the mainland, resembles classical Greece, like the megaron. The U-shaped structure features a porch with two columns in antis, flanked by two projecting side walls, following a decorative system in contrast to that of the columns. Following this structure, the Greek mythology was replicated using the identities of the Greek Gods: Zeus, Hera, Apollo, and Athena. The Temple of Hera I at Paestum, Italy, for example, focuses on a central hall, cella, that is flanked by two porches, the pronaos (entrance), and the opisthodomos (rear).

Rome

Architecture within Rome was inventive, which came from the discovery and use of the arch. Their interiors were given just as much attention due to the fact that they were carefully and intentionally designed. While most Greek temples were intended to house a statue, the temple's interiors were sometimes thrown in the backseat, in favor of the development on the exteriors and the sculptural programs. The Pantheon, for example, has a standard temple front, disguising the shape behind it, with a portico made of monolithic columns of Egyptian granite, eight Corinthian capitals, and a triangular pediment. In addition, two rows of four columns constitute the porch to be a deep, ponderous entity.