Temple of Rome and Augustus, Athens, Greece

The temple of Rome and Augustus was erected in the late first century BC. Several architectural elements of the building were found east of the Parthenon and many more were brought here after their discovery elsewhere. Nearby are the irregular tufa foundations (approximately 10.50x13 metres) of a building generally considered to be the Roman temple. Another theory, however, based on the construction technique of these foundations and on depictions of the Acropolis on Roman coins, places the temple east of the Erechtheion.

A small, round edifice, about 23 meters from the Parthenon, was to be the last significant ancient construction on the summit of the rock.

The inscription on the temple's epistyle mentions that the building was dedicated by the city of Athens to the goddess Rome and to Octavian Augustus. Pausanias does not mention the building during his visit to the Acropolis, possibly because it did not present any interest at his time. The small, circular temple had a single row of nine Ionic columns and no interior wall, the entablature and conical roof being entirely of white marble. The fact that the columns imitate those of the Erechtheion may indicate that the temple was built by the same architect who repaired the Erechtheion after it was damaged by fire.

References:

Ministry of Culture and Sports

User Reviews

Mr Crossland (2 years ago)
After visiting Athens I'd say I have way less respect for the Romans.

apichat chaikaew (2 years ago)
History of the Romans, one of the greatest civilizations in the world.

Jose Lejin P J (5 years ago)
Nice historical place to visit in the Acropolis of Athens. One of the buildings from Roman times. During the Julio-Claudian period, the Temple of Rome and Augustus, a small, round edifice, about few meters from the Parthenon was to be the last significant ancient construction on the summit of the rock.

Poj Ta. (5 years ago)
There are only a few architectural remains.

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The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.

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The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.

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