Acanthus in Roman Architecture

Acanthus is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical and warm temperate regions, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean Basin and Asia.

The generic name derives from the Greek term ἄκανθος (akanthos) .

 

In architecture, stone or wood ornaments were carved to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus plants, which have deeply cut leaves.  Both A. mollis and A. spinosus have been claimed as the main model.

 

In ancient Roman and ancient Greek architecture Acanthus ornament appears extensively in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders, and applied to friezes, dentils and other decorated areas.  The oldest known example of a Corinthian column is in the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae in Arcadia ( c 450–420 BC ).

 

Acanthus decoration continued in popularity in Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic architecture. It saw a major revival in the Renaissance, and still is used today.