ABSTRACT
Temples were the finest buildings the Greeks produced. Their basic purpose was to provide a
home for the god (or gods) to whom they were dedicated. Temples also came to have other
roles, such as a treasury for the Athenians, or as a meeting place for the city councilors at
Ephesus. While the main focus of a temple was worship, such splendid buildings were an
obvious symbol of a state’s power and wealth. Therefore, many ancient Greek city-states
poured a great deal of their money into constructing the finest temples they could afford.
