The temple looks the same from the front and the back. In having the same view from both sides, the temple served two purposes. It overlooked the city below, while it welcomed people from the back on the Acropolis. Each column rested on a three-stepped base, instead of the usual two-stepped one. It is thought that the short sturdy columns were built because of the confinement of space, due to the massive neighboring monuments, and perhaps due to lack of money, because of the war.
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Atop each column sat the entablature and the frieze. The entablature was decorated on all sides with relief sculpture. The external frieze was made up of a series of marble blocks carved with battle scenes: on the north a battle between Greeks, involving cavalry; on the south Greeks fighting opponents in oriental dress, probably Persians; on the east an assembly of Greek gods. The west frieze featured Greeks fighting other Greeks, known as the Greek Hoplites. The Greek Hoplite was one of the most famous, influential, and earliest soldier classes. The word Hoplite itself translates roughly as "armored man" or "armored infantry", which perfectly describes the Hoplite's armor and shield. The south frieze illustrated a battle with Persian cavalrymen. It showed the decisive victory over the Persians at the battle of Plataea. The theme of victory is shown by the frieze running on the temple, of a victory over the Persians. The corner slab of the west end of the south frieze has an equestrian figure among its combatants. The east frieze depicted an Assembly of Gods. Aphrodite, bending over and placing her foot on a rock, and Peitho probably occupied the extreme left with Dionysos, Amphitrite and, sitting on a rock, Poseidion to their right. A fully armed Athena Nike stood in the center with an unidentified god to her right (maybe Hephaistos). Zeus sat on his throne; Hera, Herakles and, finally Hermes, the Graces and Hygieia, at the extreme right.