Secrets of the Parthenon Approximately 447 to 432 BC. in ancient Greece, a temple was built to immortalize the new Western Greek ideals of beauty, science, art, and a radical new form of government: democracy. This temple becomes the physical embodiment of these ideals and is still today a representation of what humans are capable of doing. That building is the Parthenon. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Parthenon was built with skills that are unmatched today. Even with all the new and modern technology not available in ancient times but accessible now, it took a team of architects, stonemasons and archaeologists more than thirty years to dismantle, repair and reassemble the temple that had taken the ancient Athenians only eight or nine people. years to build. Art historians now know that the architect responsible for building the Parthenon was Iktinos, and the supervisor of the temple's sculptural decoration was Phidias: Phidias also sculpted the great Athena Parthenos, who stood in the center, or cella, of the temple. The building was designed in the Doric order, with a peristyle of columns around the entire complex. Something even more interesting about the temple's design is the mathematics used to create it. The Parthenon is considered the Doryphoros of temples, with its technically perfect layout and ideal proportions. And just as the Greeks were smart enough to find the perfect equation to build this temple, they also discovered how to add a slight curve to it, just a tiny fraction. Looking at the Parthenon for the first time, one would not imagine that the temple is not actually flat, but the ancient Greeks knew how human eyes see the world as a curve, so they adapted the Parthenon to fit this so that it could be harmonious and perfect mathematician in every single aspect. The decorations of the Parthenon are more extravagant than any previous temple, no matter what the order. In each of the ninety-two metopes a mythological scene takes place, just as it is often commonly shown in Greek vase paintings. These scenes include many battles such as the Centauromachy, the Amazonomachy, the Gigantomachy, and the Sack of Troy, all important mythological battles between the Greeks and various others. However, the most luxurious piece in the entire Parthenon has to be the one that once stood right in the center: Athena Parthenos. This monumental chryselephantine sculpture stood thirty-eight feet tall and held Nike (the female personification of victory) in its hand. In this case, Nike was most likely referring to the victory over the Persians in 479 BC when they attacked the Athenian acropolis. All over Athena's body there are many other references to many other Greek victories. Although it may have been the most expensive addition to the Parthenon, Athena Parthenos was clearly the most significant decoration in the entire temple. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The Parthenon was built to stay true to the new Greek ideals, but it was also created to celebrate Athena and the Athenians. If it wasn't obvious from the huge ivory and gold statue of the goddess in the temple naos, it is clear through all the other temple images depicting her. The east pediment shows the birth of the goddess and the west pediment shows Athena winning the right to be the city's patroness over Poseidon. And while all statues of Athena still retain the beautifully sculpted human anatomy, Phidias has masterfully made sure to emphasize the beauty of the goddess and give the feeling that she is a true goddess, even with just one.