<P> These components allowed the realisation of a variety of different plan types in Greek temple architecture . The simplest example of a Greek temple is the templum in antis, a small rectangular structure sheltering the cult statue . In front of the cella, a small porch or pronaos was formed by the protruding cella walls, the antae . The pronaos was linked to the cella by a door . To support the superstructure, two columns were placed between the antae (distyle in antis). When equipped with an opisthodomos with a similar distyle in antis design, this is called a double anta temple . A variant of that type has the opisthodomos at the back of the cella indicated merely by half - columns and shortened antae, so that it can be described as a pseudo-opisthodomos . </P> <P> If the porch of a temple in antis has a row of usually four or six columns in front of its whole breadth, the temple is described as a prostylos or prostyle temple . The whole pronaos may be omitted in this case or just leave the antae without columns . An amphiprostylos or amphiprostyle repeats the same column setting at the back . </P> <P> In contrast, the term peripteros or peripteral designates a temple surrounded by ptera (colonnades) on all four sides, each usually formed by a single row of columns . This produces an unobstructed surrounding portico, the peristasis, on all four sides of the temple . A Hellenistic and Roman form of this shape is the pseudoperipteros, where the side columns of the peristasis are indicated only by engaged columns or pilasters directly attached to the external cella walls . </P> <P> A dipteros or dipteral is equipped with a double colonnade on all four sides, sometimes with further rows of columns at the front and back . A pseudodipteros has engaged columns in the inner row of columns at the sides . </P>

For a greek temple the columns form the