The Temple of Victory (Latin: templum Victoriae) is a temple on the

Palatine Hill The Palatine Hill (; la, Collis Palatium or Mons Palatinus; it, Palatino ), which relative to the seven hills of Rome is the centremost, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire." ...

in Rome. It was dedicated to the Roman goddess of Victory. It is traditionally ascribed to

Evander Evander is a masculine given name. It is an anglicization of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (lit. "good man", Latinized ''Evandrus''). It has also been adopted as an anglicization of the Gaelic name Iomhar (the Gaelic variant of the name Ivor ...

, but was actually built by Lucius Postumius Megellus out of fines he levied during his

aedile ''Aedile'' ( ; la, aedīlis , from , "temple edifice") was an elected office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings () and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to enf ...

ship and dedicated by him on 1 August when consul in 294 BC. This temple was used to house Cybele's sacred stone between 204 BC and 191 BC, while her own nearby temple was still being built and

Cato the Elder Marcus Porcius Cato (; 234–149 BC), also known as Cato the Censor ( la, Censorius), the Elder and the Wise, was a Roman soldier, senator, and historian known for his conservatism and opposition to Hellenization. He was the first to write histo ...

afterwards built a shrine of Victoria Virgo next to the temple of Victory. If still in use by the 4th-century, it would have been closed during the

persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire Persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire began during the reign of Constantine the Great (306–337) in the military colony of Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), when he destroyed a pagan temple for the purpose of constructing a Christian church ...

. It was in the Temple of Victory that the spoils of war from Roman victories were eventually deposited. Some of its notable contents came from the spoils of Titus from the Temple of Jerusalem which remained deposited in the Temple of Victory until it was looted by the Vandals in the 5th century and subsequently taken to Africa. The golden roof of the temple was also removed by the barbarians during their pillage of Rome. There is no record of any restoration of this temple and its exact site is still uncertain. See CJ 1920, 297, where Chase states that Boni identified this temple with foundations found near the

arch of Titus The Arch of Titus ( it, Arco di Tito; la, Arcus Titi) is a 1st-century AD honorific arch, located on the Via Sacra, Rome, just to the south-east of the Roman Forum. It was constructed in 81 AD by the Roman emperor, Emperor Domitian shortly aft ...

. It was doubtless on the Clivus Victoriae, and remains of two dedicatory inscriptions. found about 50 metres west of the present church of San Teodoro, may indicate its position.HJ 47‑49; WR 139; Gilb. III.428‑429; LR 126‑127.

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Victory The term victory (from Latin ''victoria'') originally applied to warfare, and denotes success achieved in personal Duel, combat, after military operations in general or, by extension, in any competition. Success in a military campaign constitu ...

Victory 3rd-century BC religious buildings and structures Roman temples by deity

See also

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