The Temple of Athena Nike

The Temple of Athena Nike was constructed around 420 B.C. by the Greeks in modern day Turkey and is thought to be designed by the architect Killikrates. The structure "was erected on top of the remains of an earlier sixth century temple to Athena, demolished by the Persians in 480B.C." ("Temple of Athena Nike"). It is prominently positioned on a steep bastion at the southwest corner of the Acropolis and to the right of the entrance. The Ionic design was constructed completely of Pentelic marble. There are four columns in front and four in the rear. The columns are 13'4" high including base and capital and the inner chamber of the temple is 16' long. "The sheer walls of its bastion were protected by the north, west, and south by a parapet, the famed "Nike Parapet", named for its frieze of Nikai celebrating victory and sacrificing to their patroness, Athena" ("Temple of Athena Nike"). The high relief frieze is 86' x 1'5.5" and runs around the temple. The north frieze portrayed a battle between the Greeks involving mounted troops. The east frieze portrayed the gods Athena, Zeus, and Poseidon and the south frieze portrayed the victory over the Persians at the battle of Plataea. A statue of a wingless Athena is said to have stood inside. Pausanias', an ancient writer, said it was made out of wood. She was holding a helmet in her left hand and a pomegranate in her right. One of the most intact and well-proportioned Roman temples remaining is the Maison Carrée in Nimes, Provence, France. The temple was originally constructed in 16BC and was reconstructed by Marcus Agrippa. Roman architects used local limestone to build the temple and it is positioned on a podium 10' high. Forming a rectangle almost twice as long as it is wide, it measures 86' by 44'. The Maison Carrée has six slender columns 33' high with Corinthian capitals which form the portico

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