Temple Of Augustus, Pula
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The Temple of Augustus (; ) is a well-preserved
Roman temple Ancient Roman temples were among the most important buildings in culture of ancient Rome, Roman culture, and some of the richest buildings in Architecture of ancient Rome, Roman architecture, though only a few survive in any sort of complete ...
in the city of
Pula Pula, also known as Pola, is the largest city in Istria County, west Croatia, and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istria, Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, wi ...
,
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
(known in Roman times as ''Pietas Iulia''). Dedicated to the first Roman emperor,
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
, it was probably built during the emperor's lifetime at some point between 27 BC and his death in AD 14. It was built on a
podium A podium (: podiums or podia) is a platform used to raise something to a short distance above its surroundings. In architecture a building can rest on a large podium. Podiums can also be used to raise people, for instance the conductor of a ...
with a
tetrastyle A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cultu ...
prostyle Prostyle and Prostylos (), literally meaning "with columns in front", is an architectural term designating temples (especially Greek and Roman) featuring a row of columns on the front. The term is often used as an adjective when referring to th ...
porch of Corinthian columns and measures about , and high. The richly decorated frieze is similar to that of a somewhat larger and more recent temple, the
Maison Carrée Maison (French for "house") may refer to: People * Edna Maison (1892–1946), American silent-film actress * Jérémy Maison (born 1993), French cyclist * Leonard Maison, New York state senator 1834–1837 * Nicolas Joseph Maison (1771–1840), M ...
in
Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
, France. These two temples are considered the two best complete Roman monuments outside Italy.


History

The temple was part of a triad consisting of three temples. The Temple of Augustus stood at the left side of the central temple, and the similar temple of the goddess Diana stood on the other side of the main temple. Although the larger central temple has not survived, the whole back side of the Temple of Diana is still clearly visible due to its incorporation into the Communal Palace, built in 1296. If still in use by the 4th-century, the temple 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 ...
. Under
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
rule, the temple was converted into a church, accounting for its survival to modern times, and was later used as a granary. In the 16th century,
Andrea Palladio Andrea Palladio ( , ; ; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius, is widely considered to be on ...
included the description of the temple in his '' I quattro libri dell'architettura'', a highly influential book on the principles of
Classical architecture Classical architecture typically refers to architecture consciously derived from the principles of Ancient Greek architecture, Greek and Ancient Roman architecture, Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or more specifically, from ''De archit ...
. By the late 19th century, the temple stood at the corner of the marketplace of Pula and was partly concealed by houses, "so that the visitor cannot obtain a view till he is close to it." It was struck by a bomb during an Allied air raid in 1944, almost totally destroying it, but was reconstructed in 1947. It is today used as a
lapidarium A lapidarium is a place where stone (Latin: ) monuments and fragments of archaeological interest are exhibited. They can include stone epigraphy, epigraphs; statues; architectural elements such as columns, cornices, and acroterions; bas relief ...
to display items of Roman sculpture.


Dedication

The temple's dedication originally consisted of bronze letters affixed by nails to the stones of the architrave. Only the attachment holes now remain and much of the text has been destroyed over time. However, it consisted of a standard dedication also found on other Augustan temples, which read: :ROMAE · ET · AVGVSTO · CAESARI · DIVI · F · PATRI · PATRIAE :To Roma and Augustus Caesar, son of the deity, father of the fatherland ::or :In honour of Rome and Augustus Caesar, son of the deified Julius">Julius_Caesar.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Julius Caesar">Julius/nowiki>, father of his country. This indicates that the temple was originally also co-dedicated to the goddess Roma (mythology)">Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: People, characters, figures, names * Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas. * Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun * Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...
, the personification of the city of Rome. Unlike later temples, such as the
Temple of Divus Augustus The Temple of Divus Augustus was a major Roman temple, temple originally built to commemorate the Imperial cult of ancient Rome, deified first Roman emperor, Augustus. It was built between the Palatine Hill, Palatine and Capitoline Hills, behind ...
in Rome, the temple was not dedicated to ''divus'' (the Imperial cult (ancient Rome), deified) Augustus - a title only given to the emperor after his death. This, the title '' Pater Patriae'' that was voted to Augustus in 2 BC., and the temple's architectural style, have allowed archaeologists to date the temple to the late Augustan period, prior to Augustus' death in AD 14.Ittai Gradel, ''Emperor Worship and Roman Religion'', pp. 92-93. Oxford Classical Monographs, Clarendon Press, 2002.


Gallery

File:The back of the Temple of Augustus, Colonia Pietas Iulia Pola Pollentia Herculanea, Histria (10404107653).jpg, Back view File:Temple of Augustus, Colonia Pietas Iulia Pola Pollentia Herculanea, Histria (10403937676).jpg File:Kroatien Pula Augustustempel.jpg, The temple in 2021 File:Artgate Fondazione Cariplo - Fonda Enrico - Pola.jpg, A 1924 painting by Enrico Fonda File:Temple of Pola in Istria.png, An engraving from the 1760s


See also

* List of Ancient Roman temples *
Pula Arena The Pula Arena (; ) is a Roman amphitheatre located in Pula, Croatia. It is the only remaining Roman Empire, Roman amphitheatre to have four side towers entirely preserved. It was constructed between 27 BC and AD 68,#Kristina69, Kristina Džin: 20 ...
* Temple of Augustus in Barcelona *
Monumentum Ancyranum The Temple of Augustus and Rome is an augusteum located in the Altındağ district of Ankara. It is thought to have been built around 25–20 BC. Besides being one of the most important Roman-period ruins in the city, it is also known for the '' ...
*
Temple of Divus Augustus The Temple of Divus Augustus was a major Roman temple, temple originally built to commemorate the Imperial cult of ancient Rome, deified first Roman emperor, Augustus. It was built between the Palatine Hill, Palatine and Capitoline Hills, behind ...


References

;notes ;references


Bibliography

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External links

{{Authority control 1st-century Roman temples Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Croatia Buildings and structures in Pula Temples in Croatia
Pula Pula, also known as Pola, is the largest city in Istria County, west Croatia, and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istria, Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, wi ...
Tourist attractions in Pula