“We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
The remnants of Classical architecture still carry a strong presence within many structures in modern-day United States. A visible trend is that most government and federally backed buildings, such as federal banks, city halls, and judicial courtrooms, incorporate certain Greek column orders.
One major instance is the construction of the White House. Initially built with Neoclassicism in mind, one can see that this structure has elements from various Greek temple layouts (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2). Beginning with the column arch at the Oval Office, it clearly resembles a tholos plan, as it is the only circular layout, constructed with Ionic columns. Moving on to the residence’s front entrance, the six columns seem to form a variation of a prostyle plan as it has two extra pillars perpendicular to the left and right sides.
Also, since the system of democracy originated from Ancient Greece, this decision to integrate architectural aspects from this specific era could be a method to pay homage to its founders (Becker). Although in which the way we define democracy has evolved, the original concept had been “cemented” in the physical foundations of these modern buildings.
The influence of Ancient Greece also extends in the world of sports, from the events we hold to the arenas that they are held in. Matter of fact, arguably the world’s largest international competition, the Olympic Games, originated in Greece. What is interesting is that all the entertainments that came from its first appearance, such as wrestling and boxing, grew into very respectable sports still celebrated today (Kiger).
As a final point, it is easy to say that the influences of Greek culture are heavily rooted in not just the United States, but worldwide as well. The immense capabilities that emerged from this ancient civilization provides no negative impact to include its characteristics in any type of work.
Additional Resources
- Becker, Jeffrey. “Introduction to Greek Architecture.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/beginners-guide-greece/a/introduction-to-greek-architecture?modal=1.
- Kiger, Patrick J. “7 Sports of Ancient Greece.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 6 Apr. 2022, www.history.com/news/ancient-greece-sports.