The Ancient Greeks built in three different styles, known as Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, each developing in time one after the other.

The earliest, and simplest was Doric. Here you se the columns tapering upwards and finishing in a very simple decoration. You would hardly notice it at all.

Ionic has a decoration that looks like a scroll of paper. Corinthian is the one most commonly found used by Romans and Victorians, and has many leaves.

The Parthenon in the Acropolis in Athens has Doric columns.