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The first piece I chose to examine for my HUM 205 Art Collection was an architecture piece from the Classical Greek period. It is the ancient DoricTemple entitled the Temple of Hera located in Olympia, Greece. Due to earthquake damage in 4th century A.D., it was destroyed and never rebuilt. However, its ruins have since been restored and stand in the location in which the World Olympic torch is lit. Also referred to as the Heraion, the structure is one of the first Doric temples in Greece and oldest peripteral temples in its place.The temple divided into three separate chambers includedthe pronaos, cella, and opisthodomos. The structure was built in 600 B.C. and the stylobate, or floor of the temple, measures at an amazing one hundred sixty four feet in length and sixty two feet in width. The immense size of the stylobate is a classic example of Doric architecture. Furthermore, the peripteros, or temple surrounded by columns, has a perimeter total of forty columns. Consistent to the time of its erection, the columns were originally made of wood. However, they were eventually replaced with stone materials and depict various styles as the replacements took place over differing time periods. Another temple feature representative of the ancient Greek architecture is the mudbrick superstructure present at the bottom of the Heraion walls.
This structure was built to honor the goddess Hera. Hera still remains one of the most significant female deities of Greek religious belief. She was the goddess of marriage, the wife to Zeus, and the Queen to the Olympians.It was reported by the ancient world traveler, Pausanias, that two statues were held in the cella of the temple depicting a standing Zeus and a seated Hera. In addition, Hera’s temple also held a large display table where the olive wreaths remained during the events of the original Olympic Games. Today the OlympianArchaeologicalMuseum houses an archaic stone head believed to be the only remaining sample of the original statue of the goddess Hera.
The second piece that I chose for my HUM 205 art collection was the infamous Roman Coliseum which would be categorized under the Roman Empire. The Coliseum is considered by many to be the most significant piece of imperial architecture and Roman engineering. It is the largest amphitheatre ever built and is situated in the center of the city of Rome. Its design is believed to be representative of two Roman theatres positioned back to back thereby creating an elliptical plan. The surviving exterior wall façade is made of three stories of arcades, in which sits a podium and attic. Both the podium and attic contain windows that are dispersed at even intervals. The arcades are embellished with half size columns representative of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders while the arches within the arcades featured statues of classical mythological deities.
Early records indicate that the Coliseum could hold up to 84,000 spectators while modern mathematical formulas find the number to be closer to 50,000 individuals. Regardless, in order to accommodate such a large number, the crowd was seated in tiered arrangement believed to be symbolic of the hierarchal structure of Roman society. Furthermore, due to the magnitude of spectators, it the architects recognized the importance for filling and dismissing the crowds efficiently. Therefore, the amphitheatre consisted of eighty ground-level entrances. One entrance was reserved for the emperor and his staff and three entrances were assigned to the elitist class thereby leaving the remaining seventy six entrances for the general population. Most famous for its gladiator contests, the Coliseum was also used to view a variety of barbaric and dramatic spectacles. The arena was covered by a floor made of wood and covered in sand which sat above a large underground basement with various tunnels, vestibules, and cages for housing the animals and gladiators before the events.
Needless to say, the Coliseum was an engineering marvel of its time. It is believed that the hypogeum, or basement of the structure, was equipped with a variety of mechanical pulleys, elevators, and hydraulic systems used to hoist cages and props for surface release.
References
Temple of Hera
Temple of Hera (Olympia). (2009, May 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Retrieved on May 21, 2009, from title=Temple_of_Hera_(Olympia)&oldid=288957702
Roman Coliseum
Colosseum. (2009, May 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved on May 21,
2009, from =290339305