Greek and Roman Architecture Similarities and Differences
...e and by adding their own practically and ingenuity the Romans developed an architectural style that still remains to this day. The Greek built beautiful pieces of architecture for the worship of gods. Most all the examples of Greek architecture that we know of today were temples. They built temples as homes for the gods. The gods were the inspiration for most of the major architecture of the Hellenistic period. This is not true of the Roman culture. Although, the Romans did build temples to their gods, the Roman style was more predominantly seen in public dwellings and social gathering areas, such as basilicas and forums, than in their temples. Most of all the temples that the Romans built were copies of Greek temples, with the exception of the domed Pantheon. Also, the Romans included their emperors in the temples along with the gods. The Romans even built temples just for the emperors. Another major difference between Greek and Roman architecture was the purpose behind the buildings. Greek architecture was viewed as a piece of artwork for the gods. This is obvious from the ornateness of the outside of the building with the pediments and metopes and the dullness of the inside with the exception of the friezes. The Greek designed as a sculpture with all the beauty to be viewed from the outside. The Roman architectural style is completely opposite to this. Behind the unassuming facades were interiors that were often quite luxurious; decorated with floor and wall mosaics, paintings, and sculptures. Also, the Roman architects were concerned with the lighting of the room so that the interior decorations could be seen clearly. These things were important to the Romans because their buildings were meant to be gathering places for the public. Not only did the Romans differ on why to build a building they also had differences on how to build it. The Greeks used the post and lintel system of designing a building. Which is basically the idea of standing two columns up and placing a beam across them, a simple and easy construction but n...