How many Greek orders of architecture exist?

• A. Two
• B. Three
• C. Four
• D. Five

Answer: (B)

In Greek architecture, the concept being tested is how many distinct architectural orders the Greeks recognized. An order is a standardized system for a column and its supporting entablature, defined by proportions, a specific capital style, base (or lack of it), and decorative details. The Greeks identify three principal orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Doric is the stout, sturdy one with a plain capital and no base, Ionic features a slender shaft with a base and scroll-like volutes on the capital, and Corinthian is the more ornate type with an acanthus-leaf capital. While later Romans added other orders, such as the Tuscan and the Composite, those are Roman developments, not Greek. Therefore, the number of Greek orders is three.