The Complete Greek Temples

A spectacularly illustrated and complete survey of ancient Greek temples, combined with an up-to-date archaeological and historical introduction.The great colonnaded temples of the ancient Greeks are the most impressive of all the monuments left behind by Greek civilization. As feats of design and construction they have never been surpassed, and the best-preserved examplessuch as the Parthenon in Athensstill excite wonder and admiration.Once there were hundreds of these glorious structures, dotted around the Mediterranean wherever the ancient Greeks settled and founded cities. No less than steeples or minarets today, they were instantly identifiable icons of an ancient religion and a way of life.This book is the first to tell the complete story, with hundreds of accompanying illustrations, from their debated origins in the Greek dark ages to their transformation at the end of antiquity.

Tony Spawforth is Professor of Ancient History at Newcastle-upon-Tyne University and Honorary Curator of the Shefton Museum of Greek Art.