Cella alignment and 4th century BC Doric peripteral temple architecture in Mainland Greece

Abstract

This article examines 4th-century BC Doric architecture, dealing with the cella position in relation to the design of the peristasis. Divergences from the theoretical principles are recorded and the reasons dictating the aesthetics as well the traditions are examined. A categorization of Doric peripteral temples is put forward and five peripteral temples are discussed in detail, with new drawings offered; the temple on the Leprean acropolis, the Temple of Asclepios at Gortyn, the Temple of Apollo Ismenios at Thebes, the Temple of Apollo at Mount Ptoion, and the so-called Temple of Hippolytos at Troizen. It is inferred that the previously reconstructed Ionic axial cohesion in the temples under examination has taken into account neither the principles of the Doric order, nor the correct sizes of the elements. An argued evaluation of the physical evidence is necessary for reconstructing the implemented ground-plans. By taking the above into consideration and by re-examining the existing foundations, it is possible to reconstruct features such as the lower diameter of the pronaos columns, the width of the antae, the thickness of the cella and pronaos walls, the cella width and the angular contraction. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the rules to which the 4th century BC peripteral temples tend to conform and to investigate the reasons that led to their formation. It is proposed that reconstructing the roofing systems is the key to a cohesive system of correspondence.