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There were two main styles (or "orders") of Greek architecture, the Doric and the Ionic. The Ionic order originated in the mid-6th century BC in Ionia, the southwestern coastland and islands of Asia Minor settled by Ionian Greeks, where an Ionian dialect was spoken. The Ionic order was being practised in mainland Greece in the 5th century BC. It became dominant in the Hellenistic period, since its more decorative style suited the aesthetic of the period better than the more restrained Doric. The Corinthian style was a later development of the Ionic. Most of our knowledge of Greek architecture comes from the few surviving buildings of the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods (since Roman architecture heavily copied Greek).
Copyright 2007 Jordan Kevrekidis
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