What Are The Similarities Between The Parthenon And The Great Pyramids Of Athens

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The Parthenon and the Great Pyramids of Giza are the most well known structures of the ancient world, and both of these structures show a representation of great power and wealth of the leaders/or divine leaders in their civilizations. The Parthenon is a temple located on top of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece and was constructed in the 5th century BCE during a height in Athenian democracy. The Great Pyramids of Giza were built in ancient Egypt during the 4th dynasty of Egypt as tombs for pharaohs. Even though both these structures were built during different times and different locations, the Parthenon and the Great Pyramids both share a strong similarity in how they both represent the power of a ruler/their divine beings. The Parhenon …show more content…

The statesman Pericles, used the construction of the temple as a way to cement his political power among the city along with promoting Athenian Democracy. The temple was used as a symbol of Athenian strength and dominance, both in political power but also in cultural achievement. On top of its use to represent the power of the city, the Parthenon was also used as a site for worship of Athena and other deities. The temple helped legitimize Athens' political system and its leaders by linking the city's principles with the worship of Athena, who was the goddess of wisdom. The Great Pyramids of Giza were constructed during the Old Kingdom period of Egypt in the 4th Dynasty era. The three pyramids were constructed as tombs for the Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Due to these pyramids' great size, their construction took an incredible amount of labor and resources, like the transportation and placing of the enormous limestone blocks. The techniques used during this period were very innovative and technologically advanced and included the use of ramps, pulley systems, and …show more content…

The pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs they were commissioned for, and the large construction of the three pyramids demonstrated the pharaohs power and wealth over the resources around them and also their ability to organize something of such scale, and with their monumental size, they were meant to express the power and control they had over the people. The pyramids were the largest and most complex buildings of their time and the architecture of the Great Pyramids were testament to the importance of pharaohs and their divine rule. Through their shared architectural features and ideas to show political power, the Parthenon and the Great Pyramids played different roles in their respective civilizations. The Great Pyramids were made as a tomb for pharaohs and were meant to serve as a place to guide and ensure their safe passage into the afterlife. The Parthenon on the other hand, was dedicated to the goddess of wisdom Athena, and served as the centerpoint of the Acropolis in Athens where it was used for religious