Classical Architecture
Classical architecture, as used on this site, refers to the architectural traditions that emerged in the ancient Greek world and were subsequently developed, systematised, and transmitted within Roman culture. It is a body of architectural knowledge derived from practice—the construction of buildings and cities—and formed by theory and traditions, most notably through surviving ancient writings.
Our approach treats classical architecture as a historically situated intellectual and material tradition, rather than as a fixed style or a set of decorative rules. The buildings of Greece and Rome, the archaeological record, and the ancient texts that discuss architecture together form the foundations through which this tradition can be understood.
Among those texts, a uniquely influential role is played by De Architectura by Vetruvius, which provides the most substantial surviving ancient account of architecture as a coherent discipline.
This page serves as a gateway to the major learning areas through which classical architecture is explored on this site.
Scope of this learning area
Classical architecture is not approached here as a handbook of design methods or a practical manual for building. Instead, the learning material is organised around four complementary perspectives:
- the ancient theoretical and literary sources that discuss architecture;
- the physical remains of buildings, cities, and monuments;
- the historical and cultural contexts in which architecture was produced and used;
- the later reception, reinterpretation, and influence of classical architecture in subsequent periods.
The focus is therefore on understanding how architectural knowledge was formulated, transmitted, and reinterpreted, rather than on reconstructing technical procedures, proportional systems, or construction techniques.
The geographical and cultural core of the material is the Greek and Roman world. Later periods are addressed only insofar as they contribute to the transmission and reinterpretation of classical architectural thought.
Major learning pillars
The study of classical architecture on this site is organised into a small number of primary learning pillars. Each pillar acts as a master entry point to a distinct body of material.
Roman architectural theory and practice
This pillar focuses on architecture as it was conceptualised and articulated in the Roman world, especially through literary and theoretical sources. It examines how architecture was understood as a discipline, how architects framed their professional knowledge, and how Roman writers presented the aims and responsibilities of architectural practice.
The principal gateway for this area is the master guide to De Architectura, which introduces the structure, historical setting, and intellectual purpose of the work and directs readers to book-level and chapter-level explanations.
Greek architectural traditions
This pillar addresses architecture in the Greek world as it can be reconstructed from archaeological remains, historical sources, and later interpretations. It provides a structured entry point into the architectural cultures of different Greek regions and periods, and into the social, political, and religious contexts in which buildings were designed and used.
Rather than treating Greek architecture as a stylistic prelude to Roman building, this area frames Greek architectural practice as an independent and internally diverse tradition that strongly shaped later architectural thought.
→ Primary guide: Greek Architecture – Master Hub
The architectural orders
This pillar provides a structured gateway to the ancient system of architectural classification traditionally known as the orders. It examines how the idea of orders developed historically, how they were described in ancient and later sources, and how they became a central framework for understanding and teaching classical architecture.
The purpose of this area is to situate the orders within the wider history of architectural theory and reception, rather than to present them as design templates or rule systems.
→ Primary guide: The Architectural Orders – Master Hub
Reception and legacy of classical architecture
This pillar explores how Greek and Roman architecture, and the writings associated with it, were rediscovered, interpreted, and transformed in later periods. It traces the survival of ancient architectural ideas through manuscript traditions, early modern scholarship, and architectural education, as well as their influence on later architectural movements.
The emphasis is on transmission and reinterpretation: how later architects, scholars, and patrons understood the ancient material, and how those understandings shaped architectural culture beyond antiquity.
→ Primary guide: Reception and Legacy of Classical Architecture – Master Hub
How this site is organised
The learning material on this site is structured in a tiered system designed to separate orientation, explanation, and reference.
- Master hubs introduce a major domain or work and explain its scope, structure, and significance.
- Work- or book-level hubs provide structured gateways into the internal organisation of major ancient texts or bodies of material.
- Chapter- or unit-level pages explain specific sections of a text or discrete historical topics.
- Concept reference pages define and contextualise individual technical or historical terms.
This structure is designed to allow readers to move from broad orientation to focused study without duplicating material across multiple levels.
Key starting points
If you are new to the material presented here, the following pages provide the best initial routes into the main areas of study:
- De Architectura – Master Hub
- Greek Architecture – Master Hub
- The Architectural Orders – Master Hub
- Reception and Legacy of Classical Architecture – Master Hub
Together, these guides provide a structured overview of the principal ways in which classical architecture is examined and explained on this site.
This domain gateway is intended to help readers understand how the field of classical architecture is framed here and how the major learning areas relate to one another. Each of the linked master hubs offers a deeper orientation to its respective subject, while preserving a clear separation between overview, explanation, and detailed reference.