The base is the part of classical architecture referring to the lower element of a structure, also called the basement, followed by the facing and the crowning. In the case of the column, the base is used to separate it from the floor and widen the area of support.
The Attican base takes its name from the Greek region of Attica, where the Ionic order developed; it consists of a set of flat elements (stone discs) defined at the edge with convex (torus) and concave (scotia) moulding. This decoration was also used in the Roman period for the Corinthian and composite architectural orders.
