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.

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Acropolis, Athens, Greece
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Details

Founded: 100-0 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece

More Information

odysseus.culture.gr

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Parthenon (0,1 km)
Acropolis (0,1 km)
Erechtheion (0,1 km)
Propylaea (0,2 km)
Asclepeion (0,1 km)
Temple of Athena Nike (0,2 km)
Odeon of Herodes Atticus (0,3 km)
Theatre of Dionysus (0,1 km)
Hadrian's Library (0,4 km)

User Reviews

Jose Lejin P J (2 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. (2 years ago)
There are only a few architectural remains.
Ruben (2 years ago)
Incredible place, halfway to heaven
Dr johan Atomic (2 years ago)
More wow stuff. Be interesting to see what it looks like when restored.
Milo Cridge (3 years ago)
Interesting, but dwarfed by the surrounding monuments.
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