Ancient Greek architecture came from the Greek-speaking people (Hellenic people) whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Anatolia and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD. It took a long walk-through and in different historical periods it embraced different characteristics. An important role played economic and social factors, which altogether brought cities in V-II centuries BC to blooming.

The Greek word for the family or household, oikos, is also the name for the house. Houses followed several different types. It is probable that many of the earliest houses were simple structures of two rooms, with an open porch or pronaos, above which rose a low-pitched gable or pediment.