The names of the Roman pantheon and Greek Parthenon figure in any discussion on the art or architecture history of the world. They do have a cultural, religious, and social tradition to narrate, and they convince a modern man that art and architecture are immortal. The time frame of both these great architectural monuments goes back to 2000 years, and the Roman pantheon stands intact even today as an unbelievable masterpiece of architectural, sculptural, and constructional excellence. In the same way, even though the Greek Parthenon is partly destroyed, even in its ruin, the reminiscent is sufficient enough to grade the great artistic works on it. One needs to have an understanding regarding the time frame, cultural context, and the architectural peculiarities of both these temples for a study in comparison.
The Roman pantheon originally was a temple dedicated to all the major gods in the country. The Romans had a large number of gods and goddesses to whom they turned for support and strength for each of their needs. For example, Mars was the god of war, whereas Neptune was the powerful god of the sea. So it was natural for all soldiers to pay offerings to Mars before any major battle and seamen to pay tribute to Neptune so that he would protect them from any misfortune. The Romans were broad enough to accept gods and goddesses from other civilizations, and they even built temples for these ‘foreign’ gods in the Roman Pantheon. Isis, the Egyptian goddess of the earth, is a fine instance for this sort of acceptance. Thus, the Roman pantheon is a symbol of the mingling of various civilizations and religions. The pantheon, in its final stage, was designed by the great visionary Emperor Hadrian around 126 A.D. He was very much interested in Hellenistic culture, music, and architecture. Even though the original pantheon was built between 27 and 25 B.C by his predecessor, it was Hadrian who restructured and designed the structure to its perfection. It is said that “under his reign, Rome reached its maximum splendor, and the present structure is probably the fruit of his eclectic genius and exotic tastes” (The pantheon: Temple of Roman gods. Italy Guides). In the same way, the Greek pantheon’s construction was championed by the great Athenian politician, Perikles, during 447-432 B.C. The Athenians believed that goddess Athena was taking care of Athens, and so the great temple originally was dedicated to her. It was a custom for the Greeks to offer thanksgiving to goddess Athenia whenever they experienced any success on the battlefield. It is also interesting to note that both these temples were at a later stage consecrated as Christian churches.
Much more than their religious significance, both these constructions are world-renowned and acclaimed by sculptures, painters, and architects all over the world for their artistic beauty and architectural value. The construction of the Roman Pantheon was so beautifully designed that even “Michaelangelo felt that it was the work of angels, not men.” (The Pantheon: Temple of Roman Gods). Its structure had three main parts: an entrance portico, a circular domed vault, and a part that joins the two together. The only light to the structure was provided through a craftily designed oculus or eye that occupied the center of the dome. Special attention was given while constructing the dome to make sure that the top of the dome is lighter than its bottom part. The interior of the portico is ornamented with colored marbles, and the lower part is kept unadorned, making the concrete visible. The peculiar construction and the longevity of the Pantheon, which was built on marshy land, has taken architects all over the world by surprise. Some consider the reasons as quite mysterious and attributes the credit to gods’ divine protection. A better-sounding explanation is given by Freda Parker: “While the Pantheon may be divinely protected, there are more earthbound reasons for its survival as well. It was built of very strong concrete with puzzolana cement. A gradation process was used so that the structure is heavier at the bottom and much lighter at the top. The dome’s oculus or opening lightens the load and acts as a compression ring.” (The Pantheon-Rome-126AD. A Temple to All Gods. By Freda Parker. Dome Park Place, Italy). Even though the reasons for its survival are debatable, there is unanimity of opinion regarding the magnanimity and uniqueness of its structure, and it has become one’s dream to visit the place during one’s lifetime.
On the other hand, the Greek Parthenon was built on the top of the highest hill in Athens, the Acropolis. Its construction was undertaken by two great hired architects, Ictinos and Callicrates, and a great sculptor, Pheidias. Most of the Greek temples were constructed either in the Donic or the Ionic models. But the Greek Parthenon is a combination of both: “The Parthenon combines elements of the Donic and Ionic orders. Basically a Doric peripteral temple, it features a continuous sculpted frieze borrowed from the Ionic order, as well as four columns supporting the roof of the opisthodomos.” (Greek Parthenon). Every effort was taken by both the architects to make it attractive and capturing. Some of them were really innovative and provided insight to many generations of architects who followed them; “Callicrates and Ictinos wanted their Parthenon to seem to float, so they made the whole thing curve slightly upward to the middle, so it almost looks like it is trying to take off into the air.” (Dr. Karren Carr. The Parthenon. Kidipede-History for Kids, 1998-2006). The attempts made by the great sculptor Pheidias have added extra artistic greatness to the Parthenon. The carvings made by him are praiseworthy. On the front of the Parthenon, he carved the fight between Goddess Athena and Poseidon, on the freeze a long procession of Athenians, and inside the temple, a huge statue of Athena made of gold and ivory which were of world-class. His carvings attracted the attention of many and won him an immortal place among great sculptors the world has seen. It is said that he followed his own unique way of carving: “Most of the carvings were done in a beautiful new style, where all the figures moved very gracefully, and the clothes were floating and very thin, almost transparent so that you could see all the muscles and tenderness of the women wearing them.” (The Parthenon. Dr. Karen Carr, 1998-2006).
It was really unfortunate that this great work of architecture and sculptor was ruined at the hands of Ottomans in the 1600s, and some of the valuable carvings that survived were bought by an English man, Lord Elgin, and now they are kept in the British Museum. The Greek people feel that the carvings should be returned to them as they are part of their national and cultural heritage. To quote Evangelos Venizelos, the Greek Minister of Culture, “The request for the restitution of the Parthenon marbles is not made by the Greek Government in the name of the Greek nation or of Greek History. It is made in the name of the cultural heritage of the world and with the voice of the mutilated monument itself that cries out for its marbles to be returned.” (‘The Parthenon Marbles’. Ian Swindale, 1997-2002). He is, in a sense, right because no one can substitute those carvings with new ones, and it is a fact that a monument of greatness brings glory to its nation, people, its cultural heritage and keep the names of its architects immortal, just as art itself is immortal. There is no doubt that volumes will again be written on these great monuments, and the world’s artistic tradition owes a lot to the contributions made by ancient Greek and Roman art, architecture, painting, and sculpture.
Works Cited
- “The pantheon: Temple of Roman gods.” Italy Guides. Web.
- Parker, Freda. “The Pantheon-Rome-126AD. A Temple to All Gods.” Italy: Dome Park Place.
- “Greek Parthenon” Web.
- Dr. Carr, Karren. “The Parthenon.” Kidipede-History for Kids, 1998-2006.
- “The Parthenon.” Dr. Karen Carr, 1998-2006.
- “The Parthenon Marbles” Ian Swindale, 1997-2002. Web.