Emery Reifsnyder and Paul Salgo

Temple of Hera I at Paestum

The Temple of Hera I in Paestum, Italy dates to the Archaic period in ancient Greece, 550 BCE. Today the temple, commonly known as the Basilica, is a monumental structure that once represented the importance of the goddess, Hera, to the ancient Greeks and demonstrated her importance in their culture. The dedication of this temple to Hera is symbolic of the values ancient Greek culture held most dear.

Hera is the goddess of women and marriage. Hera was well known for her jealous and vengeful nature, most notably against Zeus's lovers and offspring, but also against mortals who crossed her. The above statue is not in the actual temple.

General Information (Stokstad, Marilyn)

·         Built around 550 BCE, in the outlying region so that it can be better preserved from powerful city-states.

·         Dedicated to Hera, queen of the gods.

·         Builders used Doric Order, the earliest Greek order.

·         Fluted columns without bases, resting directly on the stylobate, rise to unadorned, cushion like capitals.

·         Each capital is formed of a rounded echinus and a tablet like abacus.

• The robust columns topped with widely flaring capitals create a sense of strength and stability.

Vocabulary

Doric Order- The oldest and simplest of the three main orders of classical Greek architecture, characterized by heavy fluted columns with plain, saucer-shaped capitals and no base.

Stylobate- The immediate foundation of a row of classical columns.

Echinus- the prominent circular molding supporting the abacus of a Doric or Tuscan capital.

Abacus- a slab forming the top of the capital of a column.

Entasis- Columns swelling in the middle and contracting toward the top. (Helping the building retain a sense of energy and upward lift)

(Pg. 98 in Art Book)

Bibliography

Works Cited

Boardman, John. The Oxford History Of Classical Art. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. , 1993. Page 42. Temple of Hera, Paestum. Subsection 26.

Stokstad, Marilyn. Art: A Brief History. New Jersey: Pearson, Prentice Hall, n.d. Pages 97 and 98 in Art: A Brief History. Temple Of Hera I at Paestum.