Major Greek Temples to 480 BC




Major Greek temples to 480 BC

From the 9th century BC. Ancient Greece witnessed the rise of monumental temples dedicated to their diverse pantheon. These structures transcended mere places of worship, evolving from simple mudbrick buildings into sophisticated architectural feats. Designed according to distinct regional styles – Doric, Ionic, and later Corinthian – these temples served as sanctuaries for cult statues and focal points for religious ceremonies conducted within the wider sacred precinct. Rather than functioning as mass gathering spaces, they embodied the intricate link between the divine and the human in the ancient Greek world.


Yr Built¹	Name	Order	Number of Columns	Stylobate Dimensions²	Column Height²
660	Corinth, Apollo
650	Isthmia, Poseidon		7 × 18	14.4 × 39.3
650	'Argive' Heraion, Hera		6 × 14	15.1 × 46.6
650	Eretria, Apollo		5 × 16 (?)	11.7 × 40.5
620	Thermon, Apollo	Doric	5 × 15	12.1 × 38.2
610 (or 510?)	Corcyra, Kardaki (Monrepos)	Doric	6 × 11	11.9 × 25.6	3.0
590	Olympia, Heraion	Doric	6 × 16	18.8 × 50.0	5.2
580	Corcyra, Artemis	Doric	8 × 17	c.23.5 × 49.2
580	Kalydon, Apollo			10.4 × 15.6
570	Metapontion, B (Hera)	Doric	9 × 17	19.9 × 41.6
565	Syracuse, Apollo	Doric	6 × 17	21.6 × 55.3	8.0
560	Selinous, Demeter Malophoros			9.5 × 20.5
560	Samos, Heraion (Rhoikos)	Ionic	8 × 21	52.5 × 105.0
560	Ephesos, Artemis	Ionic	8 × 21	55.1 × 115.1	12.1
555	Syracuse, Olympieion	Doric	6 × 17	22.4 × 62.1	8.0
550	Lokroi Epizephyrioi	Ionic	6 × 14	17.1 × 35.3
550	Gela, Athenaion	Doric	6 × 12	17.3 × 35.2
550	Selinous, Temple C	Doric	6 × 17	24.0 × 63.7	8.7
550	Selinous, Temple M	Doric	10.9 x 26.8
550	Cyrene, Apollo	Doric	6 × 11	16.8 × 30.1
540	Didyma, Apollo	Ionic	8/9 × 21	42.0 × 87.0+	15.45
540	Assos, Athene	Doric	6 × 13	14.0 × 30.3	4.8
540	Corinth, Apollo	Doric	6 × 15	21.5 × 53.8	7.2
535	Selinous, Temple D	Doric	6 × 13	23.6 × 55.7	8.3
530	Metapontion, AII	Doric	6 × 17	20.2 × 50.5	6.9
530	Poseidonia, 'Basilica'	Doric	9 × 18	24.5 × 54.3	6.4
530	Samos, Heraion (Polykrates)	Ionic	8 × 24	55.2 × 112.0
530	Samos, South Building	Ionic	7 × 17	22.8 × 45.6
530	Lesbos, Apollo Napaios	Aeolic	8 × 17	16.3 × 37.5
530	Samos, North Building	Ionic	5 × 12	25.8 × 41.2
525	Selinous, Temple FS	Doric	6 × 14	24.4 × 61.9	9.1
525	Athens, Athene Polias	Doric	6 × 12	21.3 × 43.2	7.4
520	Aigina, Apollo	Doric	6 × 11	16.4 × 31.4
520	Delphi, Apollo	Doric	6 × 15	21.7 × 58.2	10.6
520	Orkhomenos, Kalpaki	Doric	6 × 12	14.5 × 27.0
520	Selinous, Temple GT	Doric	8 × 17	50.1 × 110.1	14.7
520	Kalaureia, Poseidon	Doric	6 × 11	14.4 × 27.5
520	Naxos, Apollo³	Ionic	6 × 13	24.3 × 55.2
520	Paros	Ionic	Prostyle	Large (remains)
520	Delos	Ionic	Hexastyle large prostyle
515	Athens, Olympieion³	Doric	8 × 21	41.1 × 107.9	11.3
510	Karthaia, Athene	Doric	6 × 11	12.0 × 23.2	4.5
510	Akragas, Zeus Olympios	Doric	7 × 14	52.7 × 110.1
510	Poseidonia, Athene	Doric	6 × 13	14.5 × 32.9	6.1
510	Poseidonia, Foce del Sele Heraion	Doric	8 × 17	18.7 × 39.0
510	Eretria, Apollo	Doric	6 × 14	19.2 × 46.4
500	Hermione, Poseidon	Doric	6 × 12	15.0 × 31.5
500	Karthaia, Apollo	Doric	6 in antis	16.0 × 32.0
500	Metapontion, Tavole Palatine	Doric	6 × 12	16.1 × 33.5	5.1
500	Akragas, 'Herakles'	Doric	6 × 15	25.3 × 67.0	10.07
500	Delphi, Athene Pronaia	Doric	6 × 12	13.3 × 27.5	4.6
500	Sounion, Poseidon	Doric	6 × 13	13.1 × 30.2
490	Aigina, Aphaia	Doric	6 × 12	13.8 × 28.8	5.3
485	Athens, Older Parthenon³	Doric	6 × 16	23.5 × 66.9
490	Selinous, Temple A	Doric	6 × 13	16.0 × 40.0
490	Selinous, Temple O	Doric	6 × 13	16.0 × 40.0
490	Metapontion D	Ionic	8 × 20	14.8 × 38.4
480	Himera, Victory	Doric	6 × 14	22.5 × 56.0
480	Syracuse, Athene	Doric	6 × 14	20.2 × 55.0	8.7
480	Selinous, Hera (ER)	Doric	6 × 15	25.3 x 67.7	10.2


Notes 1. approximate, B.C. 2. metres 3. incomplete
Source: R. Osborne. Greece in the Making, 1200-479 BC, 2nd ed. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2009.

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