Columns, Colonnades, and Arches

There are many types of columns from around the world. The Egyptians had their own style of columns as did most of the Middle Eastern civilizations. However, the Greeks invented the famous classical orders of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. In his work, De Architectura, Roman writer Marcus Vituvius Pollio gives the creation myths of these columns (chapter 4, 3-7). Ionic capitals are much more decorative than the Doric, which are much more basic in design. Ionic capitals are not as ornate as Corinthian capitals, which have an acanthus leaf design. Corinthian capitals were usually the preferred style of capitals by the Romans.

Vituvius gives the height, dimensions, and proportions of the columns, capitals and bases. According to him, certain types of columns were taller, or more slender, or heavier than the others, and that there was a type of order to what columns went where. However, there was an amalgam of styles and decorations that crossed the traditional “orders,” as is testified in Roman writings and physical ruins.

The ancient libraries and some of their modern counterparts all have columns, either functional or decorative, or both.

Cement is one of two great gifts the Romans bequeathed to the West. The second was the arch with, together with cement, allowed the Romans to be creative in their building programs. There are several modern libraries that where variants on the arch are used. Ironically, none of the ancient libraries examined were built using the arch.