DE GUZMAN, ALLYKA AMARI C.

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 01
BLOCK 02

REACTION PAPER

Last Friday, I’ve watched a full documentary video entitled “The Ancient Greeks-
Engineering and Empire” by Ancient History and Discovery Documentaries which tells about the
story of the Ancient Greece.

The video mentions that for over one thousand years, the charismatic and strong people
of Greece made the most advanced technological wonders that the world has ever seen. Greece is
a country of islands and city states that was ruled by leaders whose thirst for greatness united
people. However, Persia was the world’s superpower of that time. Persians were self-confident and
multi-ethnic. Persia was a land power. A Persian invasion force epic proportions came to Greece to
add it to its empire, but Greece was ready to battle.

These are the facts that I’ve learned from the video:

 In September 480 BC, the Persian Empire is poised to ad Greece to its empire. The structure of
Greece--city states--are at the same time its strength and weakness.
 Themistocles prepared to defend against the Persians by building a fleet of 200 triremes. This
"guided missile" of warship is light and sleek, powered by 170 rowers on 3 levels.
 Outnumbered, Themistocles lured the Persians into the Strait of Salamis where he had
positioned his 200 triremes, powered by 34,000 Greek rowers. There was no room for the
Persians to maneuver in the narrow straits.
 Thermistocles fled to Persia in 471 BC after he was ostracized, a tradition that sent unpopular
politicians into a 10 year exile.
 The Mycenaeans were led by Agamemnon, whose epic struggles were written down by Homer
in works such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad was bible-like in that was instructional on
morality and how one should live.
 Mycenae's citadel walls were buttressed by stone blocks that weigh up to 10 tons apiece and
were engineered to fit perfectly. Corbelled arch construction of the lions fits within the post and
lintel construction of the structure.
 Mycenaeans innovated the corbelled dome used exclusively in the construction of massive
tombs for their leaders. Viewers see a depiction of the entrance passage or dooms leading to
the doorway to the tomb and learn how the structure was made stable.
 Mycenaean civilization disappeared around 1100 BC, sending Greece into a 400 year slumber. In
the 8th Century BC, individual city states began to flourish.
 To bring fresh water to Samos, Eupalinos engineered an aqueduct to supply the capital with
fresh water. His geometry based calculations enabled workers to dig a tunnel through a
mountain from both sides, meeting in the middle with surprising accuracy.
 Themisticles defeated the Persians in 480 BC. Pericles, a democrat and intellectual, he also
expanded Athenian power through any means.
 Pericles built the Parthenon, a monument to Athena, on the Acropolis. Thousands of laborers
and skilled craftsmen built the Parthenon hauling 30,000 tons of marble from a quarry 10 miles
away.
  In July 447 BC, construction of the Doric columns of the Parthenon began. These 10 ton marble
behemoths were lifted and pieced together with precision. Viewers see a computer generated
demonstration of the process.
 The walls enclosing the interior space of the Parthenon were laid down with extreme precision
since there was no mortar used. A double T design and iron rods were used to clamp them
together. Viewers see a computer generated demonstration of the process.
 The Doric columns of the Parthenon are fluted with 20 parallel concave grooves, making them
appear to undulate. Entasis refers to the slight bulge of the columns as they rise.
 The frieze on the interior of the parthenon depicts the Panathenaea, a celebration of the
goddess Athena. Plato, among others did not like the Parthenon. Pericles had many detractors,
and his relationship with Aspasia was controversial.
 In 431 BC, Sparta moved on Athens in a 2 year siege. The great Athenian plague killed in great
numbers. Pericles survived the plague, but was blamed for the city's misfortune and died soon
after. In 404 BC, Athens fell to Sparta.

After learning these facts, it came into my mind that the history of the Greek is rich and
breathtaking. When I watched this documentary video, I was really amazed on how they built the
structures and I asked myself on how they have gain so much knowledge about engineering and
architecture though it was said in the documentary video that ancient Greek people believed that they
have always been blessed by their gods and goddesses which is why most of the structures are related
with their gods and goddesses.

Greek architecture is important because it is known for tall columns, intricate detail, symmetry,
harmony, balance, especially its logic and order. The Greeks built all sort of buildings. The structures of
the Greek have its own purpose and meaning, it is not just a structure because it also tells a story. The
Greek structures are the evidences on how much our history is important.

To conclude, the documentary is informative and as an architecture student I can say that I’ve
learned a lot in Greek’s history. It’s amazing how past affects our present. So, we must not forget about
the past because it brings change in our future.