In ancient Greek[1] and Roman architecture,[2] a peristyle (/ˈpɛrɪstaɪl/; from Greekπερίστυλον)[3][4] is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard. Tetrastoön (τετράστῳον or τετράστοον, 'four arcades')[5] is a rarely used archaic term for this feature.[6] The peristyle in a Greek temple is a peristasis (περίστασις).[7] In the Christian ecclesiastical architecture that developed from the Roman basilica, a courtyard peristyle and its garden came to be known as a cloister.
Reconstruction of a Roman peristyle surrounding a courtyard in Pompeii, Italy
The Greek word περίστυλον perístylon is composed of περί peri, "around" or "surrounded", and στῦλος stylos, "column" or "pillar", together meaning "surrounded by columns/pillars". It was Latinised into synonyms peristylum and peristylium.
In rural settings, a wealthy Roman could surround a villa with terraced gardens but often included a peristyle with the design; in a domus in the city, Romans often used a peristyle to create a garden or open space within the house. The columns or square pillars surrounding the garden supported a shady roofed portico whose inner walls were often embellished with elaborate wall paintings of landscapes and trompe-l'œil architecture. Sometimes the lararium, a shrine for the Lares, the gods of the household, was located in this portico, or it might be found in the atrium.[8]
The courtyard might contain flowers and shrubs, fountains, benches, sculptures and even fish ponds.[9] Romans devoted as large a space to the peristyle as site constraints permitted. In the grandest development of the urban peristyle house, as it evolved in Roman North Africa, often one part of the portico was eliminated for a larger open space.[10]
The end of the Roman domus is one mark of the extinction of late antiquity. Simon P. Ellis wrote in the American Journal of Archaeology that it represented "the disappearance of the Roman peristyle house marks the end of the ancient world and its way of life."[11] "No new peristyle houses were built after A.D. 550." Noting that as houses and villas were increasingly abandoned in the fifth century, a few palatial structures were expanded and enriched, as power and classical culture became concentrated in a narrowing class, and public life withdrew to the basilica, or audience chamber, of the magnate.[12]
In the Eastern Roman empire, late antiquity lingered longer: Ellis identified the latest-known peristyle house built from scratch as the Villa of the Falconer at Argos, Peloponnese, dating from the style of its floor mosaics to about 530–550.[13] Existing houses in many cases were subdivided to accommodate a larger and less elite population in a warren of small spaces, and columned porticoes were enclosed in small cubicles, as at the House of Hesychius at Cyrene.[14]
^J.A. Dickmann. "The peristyle and the transformation of domestic space in Hellenistic Pompeii", Journal of Roman Archeology 1997.
^A. Frazer, "Modes of European Courtyard Design before the Medieval Cloister" Gesta, 1973; K.E. Meyer, "Axial peristyle houses in the western empire", Journal of Roman Archaeology, 1999; S. Hales, The Roman House and Social Identity 2003.
^E.B. MacDougall, W.M.F. Jashemski, eds., Ancient Roman Gardens: Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture, 1979.
^E.B. MacDougall, W.M.F. Jashemski, eds., Ancient Roman Gardens: Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture, 1979.
^Yvon Thébert, "Private life and domestic architecture in Roman Africa", in Paul Veyne, ed. A History of Private Life, I: From Pagan Rome to Byzantium (1985, Arthur Goldhammer, tr., 1987) esp. "The peristyle", pp 357-64.
^Simon P. Ellis, "The End of the Roman House" American Journal of Archaeology92.4 (October 1988:565-576) opened the article's abstract with these words.
^Ellis notes G. Akerström-Hougen, The Calendar and Hunting Mosaics of the Falconer in Argos, Stockholm, 1974; a somewhat later peristyle house, at Hermione in the Peloponnesus, of the end of the 6th century, was not initiated at this late date but a partial reconstruction of an earlier elite dwelling (Ellis 1988:565).
^Ellis notes G. Akerström-Hougen, The Calendar and Hunting Mosaics of the Falconer in Argos, Stockholm, 1974; a somewhat later peristyle house, at Hermione in the Peloponnesus, of the end of the 6th century, was not initiated at this late date but a partial reconstruction of an earlier elite dwelling (Ellis 1988:565).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peristylia.
Barbara McManus, "The Peristylium": a reconstruction of a peristyle
November 27, 2023
peristyle, ancient, greek, roman, architecture, peristyle, from, greek, περίστυλον, continuous, porch, formed, columns, surrounding, perimeter, building, courtyard, tetrastoön, τετράστῳον, τετράστοον, four, arcades, rarely, used, archaic, term, this, feature, . In ancient Greek 1 and Roman architecture 2 a peristyle ˈ p ɛr ɪ s t aɪ l from Greek peristylon 3 4 is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard Tetrastoon tetrastῳon or tetrastoon four arcades 5 is a rarely used archaic term for this feature 6 The peristyle in a Greek temple is a peristasis peristasis 7 In the Christian ecclesiastical architecture that developed from the Roman basilica a courtyard peristyle and its garden came to be known as a cloister Reconstruction of a Roman peristyle surrounding a courtyard in Pompeii Italy Contents 1 Etymology 2 In Roman architecture 3 Other uses 4 See also 5 Notes 6 External linksEtymology editThe Greek word peristylon peristylon is composed of peri peri around or surrounded and stῦlos stylos column or pillar together meaning surrounded by columns pillars It was Latinised into synonyms peristylum and peristylium In Roman architecture edit nbsp Split Croatia s center at Peristyle in Diocletian s PalaceIn rural settings a wealthy Roman could surround a villa with terraced gardens but often included a peristyle with the design in a domus in the city Romans often used a peristyle to create a garden or open space within the house The columns or square pillars surrounding the garden supported a shady roofed portico whose inner walls were often embellished with elaborate wall paintings of landscapes and trompe l œil architecture Sometimes the lararium a shrine for the Lares the gods of the household was located in this portico or it might be found in the atrium 8 The courtyard might contain flowers and shrubs fountains benches sculptures and even fish ponds 9 Romans devoted as large a space to the peristyle as site constraints permitted In the grandest development of the urban peristyle house as it evolved in Roman North Africa often one part of the portico was eliminated for a larger open space 10 The end of the Roman domus is one mark of the extinction of late antiquity Simon P Ellis wrote in the American Journal of Archaeology that it represented the disappearance of the Roman peristyle house marks the end of the ancient world and its way of life 11 No new peristyle houses were built after A D 550 Noting that as houses and villas were increasingly abandoned in the fifth century a few palatial structures were expanded and enriched as power and classical culture became concentrated in a narrowing class and public life withdrew to the basilica or audience chamber of the magnate 12 In the Eastern Roman empire late antiquity lingered longer Ellis identified the latest known peristyle house built from scratch as the Villa of the Falconer at Argos Peloponnese dating from the style of its floor mosaics to about 530 550 13 Existing houses in many cases were subdivided to accommodate a larger and less elite population in a warren of small spaces and columned porticoes were enclosed in small cubicles as at the House of Hesychius at Cyrene 14 Other uses editAlthough ancient Egyptian architecture predates Greek and Roman architecture historians frequently use the Greek term peristyle to describe similar earlier structures in ancient Egyptian palace architecture and in Levantine houses known as liwan houses See also editArcade Baldresca Cyclostyle monopteros a ring of columns Hypostyle Loggia Quadrangle architecture Notes edit J A Dickmann The peristyle and the transformation of domestic space in Hellenistic Pompeii Journal of Roman Archeology 1997 A Frazer Modes of European Courtyard Design before the Medieval Cloister Gesta 1973 K E Meyer Axial peristyle houses in the western empire Journal of Roman Archaeology 1999 S Hales The Roman House and Social Identity 2003 Harper Douglas peristyle Online Etymology Dictionary peristylon Liddell Henry George Scott Robert A Greek English Lexicon at the Perseus Project tetrastoon in Liddell and Scott Tetrastoon Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 26 11th ed 1911 p 671 peristasis in Liddell and Scott E B MacDougall W M F Jashemski eds Ancient Roman Gardens Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture 1979 E B MacDougall W M F Jashemski eds Ancient Roman Gardens Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture 1979 Yvon Thebert Private life and domestic architecture in Roman Africa in Paul Veyne ed A History of Private Life I From Pagan Rome to Byzantium 1985 Arthur Goldhammer tr 1987 esp The peristyle pp 357 64 Simon P Ellis The End of the Roman House American Journal of Archaeology 92 4 October 1988 565 576 opened the article s abstract with these words Ellis notes G Akerstrom Hougen The Calendar and Hunting Mosaics of the Falconer in Argos Stockholm 1974 a somewhat later peristyle house at Hermione in the Peloponnesus of the end of the 6th century was not initiated at this late date but a partial reconstruction of an earlier elite dwelling Ellis 1988 565 Ellis notes G Akerstrom Hougen The Calendar and Hunting Mosaics of the Falconer in Argos Stockholm 1974 a somewhat later peristyle house at Hermione in the Peloponnesus of the end of the 6th century was not initiated at this late date but a partial reconstruction of an earlier elite dwelling Ellis 1988 565 Noted by Ellis p 567 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peristylia Barbara McManus The Peristylium a reconstruction of a peristyle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peristyle amp oldid 1186544185, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
