Roman temple

Roman temple
The Temple of Hercules Victor, in the Forum Boarium in Rome (a Greek-style Roman temple)

Ancient Roman temples are among the most visible archaeological remains of Roman culture, and are a significant source for Roman architecture. Their construction and maintenance was a major part of ancient Roman religion. The main room (cella) housed the cult image of the deity to whom the temple was dedicated, and often a small altar for incense or libations. Behind the cella was a room or rooms used by temple attendants for storage of equipment and offerings.

The English word "temple" derives from Latin templum, which was originally not the building itself, but a sacred space surveyed and plotted ritually. The Roman architect Vitruvius always uses the word templum to refer to the sacred precinct, and not to the building. The more common Latin words for a temple or shrine were aedes, delubrum, and fanum (in this article, the English word "temple" refers to any of these buildings, and the Latin templum to the sacred precinct).

Public religious ceremonies took place outdoors, and not within the temple building. Some ceremonies were processions that started at, visited, or ended with a temple or shrine, where a ritual object might be stored and brought out for use, or where an offering would be deposited. Sacrifices, chiefly of animals, would take place at an open-air altar within the templum.

Contents

Origins and development

The Roman temple architecture style was derived from the Etruscan model, an indigenous Italian race which was at its peak in the seventh century BC. In turn, the Etruscans had adopted other styles into their temples, of which Greek architecture was the main influence. Therefore Roman temples were distinct but also based on both Etruscan and Greek plans.[1]

Roman temples emphasised the front of the building, which consisted of a portico with columns, a pronaos. This departs from the Greek model of having equal emphasis all around the temple, where it could be viewed and approached from all directions.

List of Roman temples

Within the city of Rome

Italian peninsula

Europe

Africa and the Near East

See also

  • Classical orders
  • Greek temple
  • Temple for other religious traditions
  • List of Greco-Roman roofs
  • Architecture of ancient Rome

Sources and external links

  1. ^ Campbell, Jonathan. Roman Art and Architecture - from Augustus to Constantine. Pearson Education New Zealand. ISBN 9780582739840. 
  2. ^ [1](Colchester Museums).
  3. ^ [2](Roman-Britain).

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Roman Temple of Évora — The Roman Temple of Évora is located in the city of Évora, in Portugal. The temple is part of the historical centre of the city, classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is one of the most famous landmarks of Évora, and a symbol of Roman… …   Wikipedia

  • Pagans Hill Roman Temple — Reconstruction of the Pagans Hills Roman Temple based on the excavations. The Pagans Hill Roman Temple was a Romano British style temple excavated on Pagans Hill at Chew Stoke in the English county of Somerset. Contents …   Wikipedia

  • Jordan Hill Roman Temple — is a Roman ruin situated on a hill above Bowleaze Cove in the eastern suburbs of Weymouth in Dorset, England. gbmapping|SY701820. Amateur excavations in 1843 found coins that suggest the site was used in the 4th century, during the later years of …   Wikipedia

  • Temple — • The Latin form, templum, from which the English temple is derived, originally signified an uncovered area marked off by boundaries; especially the place marked off by the augurs to be excepted from all profane uses Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Roman religion — Religious beliefs of the Romans from ancient times until official acceptance of Christianity in the 4th century AD. The Romans believed that everything was subordinate to the rule of the gods, and the object of their religion was to secure divine …   Universalium

  • Temple of Divus Augustus — Ancient monuments in Rome name=Temple of Divus Augustus label name=Temple of Divus Augustus tekst1=Temple of Divus Augustus on a coin of Antonius Pius issued circa AD 158 label x=0.24 label y=0.43 location=Regione VIII Forum Romanum… …   Wikipedia

  • Temple of Isis (Pompeii) — See Temple of Isis for other temples to her. The Temple of Isis is a Roman temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess, Isis. This small and almost completely intact temple was among one of the first discoveries during the excavation of Pompeii in… …   Wikipedia

  • Roman Baths (Bath) — Infobox Historic building caption=The entrance to the Roman Baths name=Roman Baths location town=Bath location country=England map type=Somerset latitude= 51.38094 longitude= 2.35950 architect=Building John Wood, the Elder, John Wood, the Younger …   Wikipedia

  • Temple of Antoninus and Faustina — Coordinates: 41°53′31.70″N 12°29′12.08″E / 41.892139°N 12.4866889°E / 41.892139; 12.4866889 …   Wikipedia

  • Temple of Augustus (Pula) — Ancient Roman monuments name=Temple of Augustus label name=Pula tekst1= label x=0.47 label y=0.38 location=Pula, Croatia date=circa 2 BC AD 14 builder=Augustus type=Roman temple|The Temple of Augustus (Croatian: Augustov hram ) is a well… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”