The Temple of Roma and
Augustus
Jonathan Euseppi
Purpose
Temple that serves as an Imperial Cult.
A focal point for loyalty to Rome and the
emperor.
The goal was to become integrated into the
centre of religious, political and economic life.
Focused loyalty from different conquered
provences.
Association with Roma attempted to make
worship of emperor inseparable from the
worship of the state.
Extravagant festivals entertained the common
people.
Location
• Circular temple built 23 meters east of the
Parthenon.
• Situated more or less on the same
longitudinal axis as the Parthenon.
• Situated at the very edge of the eastern
terrace, where the natural rock formation of
the acropolis begins to descend to the south
and east.
• Location perserves as much space in front of
Parthenon as possible.
• Terrace needed to support foundation.
Architecture
• Made of Pentelic white marble.
• Rectangular Foundation.
• 9 Ionic columns which are copies of the
Erechtheion.
• Details of the exterior decoration are also
copies from Erechtheion.
• Diameter is greater than 8 meters.
• Conical roof measures 9 meters high.
• Attempt to make the diameter and the height
the same.
Architecture
• 64 blocks of the superstructure have
been identified.
• An almost complete reconstruction is
possible.
• No interior walls have been recovered.
• Uncertain whether there was a cella or if
the building was an open conolade.
Problem with Dating Temple
• Temple is not mentioned in any ancient
literature.
• Have been able to identify temple only
by inscription on one of the epistyle
blocks.
• The People have dedicated this building to the goddess
Roma and the Caesar Augustus when the hopolite
general was Pammenes (son) of Zenon and Marathon,
priest of the Goddess Roma and Augustus “Soter” on
the Acropolis, when the priestess of Athena / Polias was
Megistes (daughter) of Asklepedes of Halai. In the
archonship of Areius (son) of Dorion of Paiania.
Problems with Dating the Temple
• Inscription mentions the archon, the Priestess
of Athena Polias, and the hopilite general who
was also the priest of the Goddess Roma and
Augustus.
• Still not able to date the temple precisely.
• Nothing known about Areos the archon.
• Pammes: The hopolite general gives us more
of a time frame.
• Incription reffers to the emperor as Augustus:
A title he did not receive until after 27 B.C.
One Possible Date
• Sulla destroyed many buildings on the
Acropolis.
• Possibly built simulaneously with the
Erechtheum’s restoration around 25 B.C.
• Discarded comice block probably from the
original west pediment of Erechtheum found
in the foundation.
• Damaged material from old Erectheum used
to fill the new foundation.
• Possibly the same architect, Diogenes,
reponsible for overseeing construction.
Second Possible Date
• Around 2 B.C. Gaius Ceasar, went East to
undertake negotiations with the Parthians.
• Roman’s propaganda campaign.
• Symbolic association with the Parthenon.
• Seen as victory monument to defeat of
Parthians, as Parthenon is victory monument
to defeat of Persians.