When you study Neoclassical or Renaissance Art/Architecture, it's often taken for granted that Greece and Rome left one type of architecture behind between them. Namely, clean, symmetrical austere designs, differing depending on which civilization you mean but still have largely the same.
It seems strange to me that either civilization - given their long life, wealth etc. - would leave such a uniform legacy of what was aesthetically pleasing.
To come to my question: was there variety in design and style as Greece and, later, Rome developed? Did fashion changes occur, and if so how regularly? Were there any particularly radical shifts in what was good taste in either region over their lifetime? Why do we associate Greece and Rome with very particular designs in architecture?
I am guessing you are in an Art history II class and have not taken Art History I, feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
There were several well known changes to Greek Architecture including three styles of columns. They became more ornate as time went on and were never really that austere to begin with. Neoclassicism reinforced the idea of pure white architecture when in reality the classical period painted all of its statues and architecture. It actually probably looked quite tacky and opulent. Romans began playing with the shapes o the temples rather than just the columns and planes. That is where we start to see round temples. Romans also started building domes later on, then forgot how for hundreds of years. Here is a picture of the different columns, they are not in chronological order, though. http://www.ancient.eu/uploads/images/948.gif
"Namely, clean, symmetrical austere designs, differing depending on which civilization you mean but still have largely the same."
The other reply seemed to imply this, but I figured I should say it plainly. This idea of Classical art/architecture is a common modern misunderstanding of the past. We are aware that the vast majority of the sculptures and architecture was painted bright colors. The styles of the art also changed multiple times with three main "eras" of art that I can remember. Many things changed within the art between these eras. But none of them involved austere white marble buildings and sculptures, but were bright red, blue, and other colors.
