by George Marron

Created on: May 18, 2008

It was the Greeks and the Romans who applied a classical order to distinguish the varieties of columns and entablature. An entablature is defined as the superstructure carried by the columns. It usually comprises of three members, the architrave, the frieze, and the cornice. The first order is the Doric order. It is the simplest of all five orders. It originated on the mainland and western Greece.

The Doric order is characterized by short, faceted, heavy columns, with plain round capitals or tops with no base. It only has a height between four to eight diameters. Doric columns stood directly on the flat pavement. The Doric order's shaft has twenty flutes. The capital has a simple necking. The echinus is convex and the abacus is square.Above the capital is a square abacus connecting the capital to the entablature. The frieze of the entablature is divided into triglyphs and metopes. A triglyph is three vertical bands separated by grooves. Metopes are plain or carved reliefs.

The second order of the Greek orders is called the Ionic. It came from eastern Greece. Slender, fluted pillars with a large base and two scrolls in the echinus of the capital are very typical for this order. Its echinus is adorned with an egg and dart motif. An egg and dart motif usually looks like an ornamental device consisting of an egg shaped object with an element shaped like an arrow, anchor, or dart. The ionic shaft has twenty four flutes. The base has two convex moldings named tori.

The most ornate or lavish of the Greek orders is the third order which is the Corinthian. It has a slender, fluted column with an ornate capital. It is decorated with two rows of acanthus leaves and four scrolls. In current architecture, the word Corinthian still has a regal reputation.

The Romans modified this classical order of architecture and added two new ones. The first was the Tuscan order. It was a very plain design. It had a simple capital, base, and frieze. It's shaft had no flutes, and a capital that only had an echinus and an abacus. The column was seven diameters in height. Even though it was duller and plainer in appearance compared to the Doric, it looked more solid than any of the five orders.

Finally, the fifth order collectively and the second Roman order is the Composite. It combines the volute of the Ionic and the leaves of the Corinthian. These volutes are larger and this order has echinus with egg and dart decoration between the volutes. The height of its column is ten diameters.

Even though these classical orders are out of date, it is still helpful to have them for historical purposes and to be a very useful guide to ancient Greek and Roman architecture. On the other hand, at least, the word Corinthian still maintains its high quality meaning.

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