The architecture developed under the Achaemenid dynasty of kings who ruled ancient Persia from 500 BCE until its conquest by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE

Characterized by a synthesis of architectural elements of surrounding countries, such as Assyria, Egypt, and Ionian Greece

The architecture developed under Parthian rule in Iran and western Mesopotamia, from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, combining classical with indigenous features

The architecture of the Etruscan people in west-central Italy from the 8th to 3rd centuries BCE, before the rise of Rome

Its construction methods, esp. that of the true stone arch, influenced later Roman architecture.

A series of irrigated ornamental gardens planted on the terraces of the Citadel, the palace complex in ancient Babylon; regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World

A fortified wall commenced under the Zhou dynasty to protect China against nomads from the north and serve as a means of communication

Of or pertaining to ancient Greek history, culture, and art, esp. before the time of Alexander the Great

Of or pertaining to ancient Greek history, culture, and art from the time of Alexander the Great's death in 323 BCE through the 1st century BCE, during which Greek dynasties were established in Egypt, Syria, and Persia, and Greek culture was modified by foreign elements

A telamon portrayed in Persian dress

The grand columnar audience hall in a Persian palace

The architecture of the Mesoamerican civilization, which flourished c. 1200 to 500 BCE in the tropical lowlands of the Mexican Gulf Coast

Characterized by temple-pyramids and large ceremonial centers

The architecture of the Indian subcontinent, from the Indus valley culture of the Harappa to the Mauryan era, and later to periods of foreign domination and indigenous rule

Characterized esp. by Hindu and Buddhist monuments, sometimes sharing the same site, and rhythmic, stratified multiplication of motifs and profuse carved ornamentation, often combining the religious and the sensuous

The architecture of the Chavín civilization that developed in the northern Andean highlands from 900 BCE to 200 CE

Characterized chiefly by the Chavín de Huantar temple complex

A dynasty in China, 221 to 206 BCE, marked by the emergence of a centralized government and the construction of much of the Great Wall of China

A pre-Incan culture that flourished on the northern coast of Peru from c. 200 BCE to 700 CE, noted for its fine pottery and the colosal Temple of the Sun, a terraced pyramid made entirely of adobe bricks

Characterized by excellent stone sculpture, elaborate gold work, and remarkable ceramics; named after a town in central Peru, where a complex of massive stone buildings with subterranean galleries surround formal courtyards

Architecture from this period shows the cultural influence of Achaemenid Persia and the first use of dressed stone

A column of rcok portraying a Chavín mythical being who provided the god's oracular declamations

The architecture of ancient Greece and Rome, on which the Italian Renaissance and subsequent styles, such as the Baroque and the Classic Revival, based their development

Characterized by massive brick and concrete construction employing such features as the semicircular arch, the barrel and groin vaults, and the dome

A simplicity and grandeur of massing often combined with elaborate detailing

The use of marble linings, mosaics, and molded stucco in interiors

The architecture of the Mesoamerican civilization of the Yucatán Peninsula, Guatemala, and part of Honduras, from the 1st century CE to its peak in the 9th century

Characterized by magnificent ceremonial centers with temple-pyramids, ritual ball courts, spacious plazas, and palaces with sculptured facades

The main north-south route in an ancient Roman town or military camp

The main east-west route in an ancient Rome town or military camp

An ancient Roman military camp having streets laid out in a grid pattern

An elaborate public bathing establishment of the ancient Greeks and Romans, consisting of hot, warm, and cool plunges, sweat rooms, and athletic and other facilities

A system of flues in the floor or walls of ancient Roman buildings, esp. baths, that provided central heating by receiving and distributing the heat from a furnace

The room in an ancient Roman thermae containing hot water for bathing

A room containing a bath of moderately warm water in an ancient Roman thermae

The room in an ancient Roman thermae containing a bath of unheated water

An underground cemetery consisting of linked galleries and chambers with recesses for coffins and tombs

The dynasty of the Mauryan empire in northern India, 320 to 540 CE, whose court was the center of classical Indian art and literature; the earliest substantial architectural remains are from this period.

A Hindu state established in southern India c. 350 CE; contributed to the expansion of Indian culture into Southeast Asia

A style of Indian architecture in the Pallava period, named after the language spoken in southern India

Mayan word for the deep water-filled sinkholes that the Itzá associated with the underworld