Final answer:
The Doric order is recognized as the oldest classical order, characterized by slender fluted columns without bases, a plain cushion-shaped capital, triglyphs, and metopes in the entablature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Doric Order in Classical Architecture
The Doric order is known as the oldest and simplest of the classical orders developed in ancient Greece around the 7th century BCE and later adopted by the Romans. Characterized by its fluted columns with no base, the Doric order features a simplistic design. The capital of this order is cushion-shaped, supporting a square abacus. Its entablature is comprised of three parts: a plain architrave, a frieze with triglyphs and metopes, and a cornice with mutules on its soffit. Additionally, the columns in the Doric order are notably more slender and typically lack a base. This style represents the aesthetic and architectural development in ancient Mediterranean civilization from using impermanent to permanent materials for monumental constructions.