Roman Temple

  • The Roman Temple was similar in design to the Greek Temple, but whereas Greek Temples were mostly located in sanctuaries, Roman Temples were mostly located in the Forum of every Roman city and were at the centre of Roman life.
  • Usually, the Temple was an oblong building built of stone with columns supporting a portico over the entrance. Some Temples were circular.

Architecture

Podium

  • The Roman Temple had a wide set of stairs leading up to a raised Podium on which the Temple was built.
Roman Porticos
  • The front of a Roman Temple was considered the most important part of the Temple, as can be seen in most of the Porticos of Ancient Rome.
  • The Roman Temple had a deep Porch (Portico) which consisted of free standing stone columns supporting a triangular pediment, which often held statues.

Columns

  • Tetrastyle means there are four columns fronting the Portico.
  • Hexastyle has six, such as the La Maison Carre in Nimes, France.
  • Octastyle has eight, such as the Parthenon in Athens.
  • Decastyle has ten.

Roof

  • The Temple roof was gabled.

Pronaos

  • The Pronaos was the inner area or vestibule of the Porch (Portico)
  • Unlike the Greek Pronaos, the Roman Pronaos had columns but no surrounding wall.

Naos (cella)

  • The inner area of the Temple was the cella (naos) containing the statue or image of the God.
  • The walls were decorated frescos which were mural paintings on a lime plaster.
  • Offerings of great value were deposited in this area. Temples were strongholds and as a result, often contained great wealth or acted as a bank repository.

Sekos

  • Sekos is Greek for courtyard. The Inner area of the Greek Temple was divided between the naos and the sekos or courtyard. The Sekos was often an unroofed internal peristyle courtyard.
  • Most Roman Temples did not have a Sekos, but instead had an extended Portico.

Worship

  • Only the priests were allowed inside the Temple, whilst the worshippers remained outside.
  • A large altar stood outside the Temple for worshippers to leave offerings and gifts or make sacrifices.

Temple of Jupiter

  • The Temple of Jupiter was the largest and most important Temple in the city of Rome and was dedicated to Jupiter, the King of the Roman Gods.

Temples of Ancient Rome

  • Rome had many Temples that were dedicated to the various Gods.

La Maison Carre

  • La Maison Carre in Nimes, France, is a Roman Temple that is still standing in an excellent state of preservation.

 

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