This essay will discuss the cultural relevance of the Greek Parthenon and the Roman Pantheon, as well as their functions in the societies which built them. Concepts of the functions of each building will be discussed before moving on to an assessment of similarities and differences between the two. Research summarized within the following paragraphs was obtained from Silverman and Wikipedia (n.d.; 2016).
The Parthenon served multiple functions in the years after its construction. The primary purpose of this structure may be said to have been worship of the patron goddess of Athens, Athena. It was built to replace earlier temples which had been destroyed at the site. Such function demonstrates the incredible importance of the goddess to the Greeks. This testament is given not only by the size of the temple, but also its impeccable construction. The style of the building is of the Doric order, yet also
…show more content…
Both featured columns and impressive stepped entry ways. Each featured statues and relief sculptures depicting well known myths about the gods and their affairs in the world of men. Both symbolized a right, by the endorsement of divine association with the capital cities, for these societies to advance their own ambitions and to conquer all within their reach.
It is clear that the Parthenon in Greece and the Pantheon in Rome may have been the product of distinct societies, yet they both symbolized similar virtues within the people who commissioned, built, and utilized them. These two structures had much in common in not only function, but also in style. They are a valuable example of just how much an effect the two neighboring cultures had on one another as power shifted between