fbpx
Wikipedia

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

January 17, 2023

The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina is an ancient Roman temple in Rome, which was later converted into a Roman Catholic church, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda or simply "San Lorenzo in Miranda". It is located in the Forum Romanum, on the Via Sacra, opposite the Regia.

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
3D reconstruction of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina.
Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
Shown within Augustan Rome
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
LocationRegio IV Templum Pacis
Coordinates41°53′31.70″N 12°29′12.08″E / 41.8921389°N 12.4866889°E / 41.8921389; 12.4866889Coordinates: 41°53′31.70″N 12°29′12.08″E / 41.8921389°N 12.4866889°E / 41.8921389; 12.4866889
TypeRoman temple
History
Founded141 AD

Temple

The temple was constructed by the Emperor Antoninus Pius, beginning in 141 AD. It was initially dedicated to his deceased and deified wife, Faustina the Elder. Because of this, Faustina was the first Roman empress with a permanent presence in the Forum Romanum.[1] When Antoninus Pius was deified after his death in 161 AD, the temple was re-dedicated to both Antoninus and Faustina by his successor, Marcus Aurelius.

The building stands on a high platform of large grey peperino tufa blocks. The later of two dedicatory inscriptions says, "Divo Antonino et Divae Faustinae Ex S.C." meaning, “For the divine Antoninus and for the divine Faustina, by decree of the Senate.”

 
Copper alloy coin featuring the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina. 141-161 CE. The British Museum.

The eight monolithic Corinthian columns of its pronaos are 17 metres (56 ft) in height. The rich bas-reliefs of the frieze under the cornice, featuring griffins, acanthus scrolls, and candelabra, were often copied from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries.

Based on numismatic evidence, the temple was originally fenced off from the Via Sacra and a large, seated statue of Faustina would have been inside of the cella. Fragments of this statue and one of Antoninus Pius, which was added later, were discovered in front of the Temple.[2]

Church

The temple was converted into a Roman Catholic church, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda, perhaps as early as the seventh century, but it is only attested from the eleventh century work Mirabilia Urbis Romae.[3] "Miranda" may derive from the name of a benefactress.[4] At that time, it was thought that this was the location of the sentencing of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr to death by the Prefect of Rome, hence its dedication.

Christianization accounts for the survival of the cella and portico of the temple through the centuries, though it did not preserve the edifice from all damage. Originally, the podium was faced with white marble slabs, with matching marble mouldings at the top and bottom. Most of the marble facing was scavenged, except for the moulding.[2] The deep grooves in the temple's columns are supposed to date to a medieval attempt to dismantle the pillared portico, either for spolia or to destroy the pagan temple. The grooves also may have been used to attach a makeshift roof over the portico.[2] Also in the Middle Ages, a staircase was built on the side facing the Forum, but it is now impossible to enter from that side because there is a gap of circa 6 metres (20 ft) between the foot of the steps and the bronze door. Before the archeological excavations, the ground level was at this door. Excavations in front of the temple were undertaken in 1546, again in 1810, and at intervals from 1876.[5]

 

In 1429 or 1430, Pope Martin V gave the church to the Collegio degli Speziali (Guild of Apothecaries), at the time officially denominated the "Universitas Aromatorium".[6] The College still uses its adjoining guildhall, which contains a small museum that holds a receipt for medicine that Raphael signed. Side chapels were erected after this date. The church lacks the usual eastern apse: one was never added so as to retain the temple's structural integrity.

In 1536, the church was partially demolished and the side chapels removed in order to restore the ancient temple for the visit to Rome of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.[7] The church, now constrained within the cella of the temple, was remodelled in 1602 by Orazio Torriani, creating a single nave and three new side chapels. The main altar has a reredos canvas by Pietro da Cortona of the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence (1646), while the first chapel on the left hosts the Madonna and Child with Saints (1626) by Domenichino.

See also

References

  1. ^ C. Rowan, ‘Communicating a consecratio: the defecation coinage of Faustina I’, in: N. Holmes (ed.), Proceedings of the XIV International Numismatic Congress Glasgow, vol. 1, Glasgow (2012), 991.
  2. ^ a b c Claridge, Amanda. Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide. p. 112.
  3. ^ Christian Hülsen, Le Chiese di Roma nel Medio Evo (Florence: Olschki, 1927).
  4. ^ A fanciful derivation from the Latin mirare ("to admire"), imagined as referring to the excellent panorama of the Forum from the church's steps, diachronically attributes to the medieval public an eighteenth-century appreciation for the picturesque.
  5. ^ Platner and Ashby 1929.
  6. ^ Filippo Titi, Descrizione delle Pitture, Sculture e Architetture esposte in Roma, 1763.
  7. ^ Roma e dintorni, Touring Club Italiano

Sources

  • Claridge, Amanda. 2010. Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide. 2nd ed., revised and expanded. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Platner, Samuel Ball. 1929. A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. London: Oxford University Press. (Online text)
  • Touring Club Italiano. 1965. Roma e Dintorni. Milano.

Further reading

  • Boatwright, Mary T. 2010. "Antonine Rome: Security in the Homeland." Yale Classical Studies 35: 169–197.
  • Davies, Penelope J.E. 2000. Death and the Emperor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Fulford, Eric 1994. "A Temple Through Time." Archaeology 47.5: 54–59.
  • Levick, Barbara M. 2014. Faustina I and II: Imperial Women of the Golden Age. Women in Antiquity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Stamper, John W. 2005. The Architecture of Roman Temples: The Republic to the Middle Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

External links

  • Temple of Anoninus and Faustina at digitales Forum Romanum by Humboldt University of Berlin
  • Lucentini, M. (31 December 2012). The Rome Guide: Step by Step through History's Greatest City. ISBN 9781623710088.

  Media related to Temple of Antoninus and Faustina (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by
Ara Pacis 		Landmarks of Rome
Temple of Antoninus and Faustina 		Succeeded by
Temple of Apollo Palatinus

January 17, 2023
temple, antoninus, faustina, ancient, roman, temple, rome, which, later, converted, into, roman, catholic, church, chiesa, lorenzo, miranda, simply, lorenzo, miranda, located, forum, romanum, sacra, opposite, regia, reconstruction, shown, within, augustan, rom. The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina is an ancient Roman temple in Rome which was later converted into a Roman Catholic church the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda or simply San Lorenzo in Miranda It is located in the Forum Romanum on the Via Sacra opposite the Regia Temple of Antoninus and Faustina3D reconstruction of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina Temple of Antoninus and FaustinaShown within Augustan RomeClick on the map for a fullscreen viewLocationRegio IV Templum PacisCoordinates41 53 31 70 N 12 29 12 08 E 41 8921389 N 12 4866889 E 41 8921389 12 4866889 Coordinates 41 53 31 70 N 12 29 12 08 E 41 8921389 N 12 4866889 E 41 8921389 12 4866889TypeRoman templeHistoryFounded141 AD Contents 1 Temple 2 Church 3 See also 4 References 5 Sources 6 Further reading 7 External linksTemple EditThe temple was constructed by the Emperor Antoninus Pius beginning in 141 AD It was initially dedicated to his deceased and deified wife Faustina the Elder Because of this Faustina was the first Roman empress with a permanent presence in the Forum Romanum 1 When Antoninus Pius was deified after his death in 161 AD the temple was re dedicated to both Antoninus and Faustina by his successor Marcus Aurelius The building stands on a high platform of large grey peperino tufa blocks The later of two dedicatory inscriptions says Divo Antonino et Divae Faustinae Ex S C meaning For the divine Antoninus and for the divine Faustina by decree of the Senate Copper alloy coin featuring the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina 141 161 CE The British Museum The eight monolithic Corinthian columns of its pronaos are 17 metres 56 ft in height The rich bas reliefs of the frieze under the cornice featuring griffins acanthus scrolls and candelabra were often copied from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries Based on numismatic evidence the temple was originally fenced off from the Via Sacra and a large seated statue of Faustina would have been inside of the cella Fragments of this statue and one of Antoninus Pius which was added later were discovered in front of the Temple 2 Church EditThe temple was converted into a Roman Catholic church the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda perhaps as early as the seventh century but it is only attested from the eleventh century work Mirabilia Urbis Romae 3 Miranda may derive from the name of a benefactress 4 At that time it was thought that this was the location of the sentencing of St Lawrence Deacon and Martyr to death by the Prefect of Rome hence its dedication Christianization accounts for the survival of the cella and portico of the temple through the centuries though it did not preserve the edifice from all damage Originally the podium was faced with white marble slabs with matching marble mouldings at the top and bottom Most of the marble facing was scavenged except for the moulding 2 The deep grooves in the temple s columns are supposed to date to a medieval attempt to dismantle the pillared portico either for spolia or to destroy the pagan temple The grooves also may have been used to attach a makeshift roof over the portico 2 Also in the Middle Ages a staircase was built on the side facing the Forum but it is now impossible to enter from that side because there is a gap of circa 6 metres 20 ft between the foot of the steps and the bronze door Before the archeological excavations the ground level was at this door Excavations in front of the temple were undertaken in 1546 again in 1810 and at intervals from 1876 5 In 1429 or 1430 Pope Martin V gave the church to the Collegio degli Speziali Guild of Apothecaries at the time officially denominated the Universitas Aromatorium 6 The College still uses its adjoining guildhall which contains a small museum that holds a receipt for medicine that Raphael signed Side chapels were erected after this date The church lacks the usual eastern apse one was never added so as to retain the temple s structural integrity In 1536 the church was partially demolished and the side chapels removed in order to restore the ancient temple for the visit to Rome of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V 7 The church now constrained within the cella of the temple was remodelled in 1602 by Orazio Torriani creating a single nave and three new side chapels The main altar has a reredos canvas by Pietro da Cortona of the Martyrdom of St Lawrence 1646 while the first chapel on the left hosts the Madonna and Child with Saints 1626 by Domenichino See also EditList of Ancient Roman templesReferences Edit C Rowan Communicating a consecratio the defecation coinage of Faustina I in N Holmes ed Proceedings of the XIV International Numismatic Congress Glasgow vol 1 Glasgow 2012 991 a b c Claridge Amanda Rome An Oxford Archaeological Guide p 112 Christian Hulsen Le Chiese di Roma nel Medio Evo Florence Olschki 1927 A fanciful derivation from the Latin mirare to admire imagined as referring to the excellent panorama of the Forum from the church s steps diachronically attributes to the medieval public an eighteenth century appreciation for the picturesque Platner and Ashby 1929 Filippo Titi Descrizione delle Pitture Sculture e Architetture esposte in Roma 1763 Roma e dintorni Touring Club ItalianoSources EditClaridge Amanda 2010 Rome An Oxford Archaeological Guide 2nd ed revised and expanded Oxford Oxford University Press Platner Samuel Ball 1929 A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome London Oxford University Press Online text Touring Club Italiano 1965 Roma e Dintorni Milano Further reading EditBoatwright Mary T 2010 Antonine Rome Security in the Homeland Yale Classical Studies 35 169 197 Davies Penelope J E 2000 Death and the Emperor Cambridge Cambridge University Press Fulford Eric 1994 A Temple Through Time Archaeology 47 5 54 59 Levick Barbara M 2014 Faustina I and II Imperial Women of the Golden Age Women in Antiquity Oxford Oxford University Press Stamper John W 2005 The Architecture of Roman Temples The Republic to the Middle Empire Cambridge Cambridge University Press External links EditTemple of Anoninus and Faustina at digitales Forum Romanum by Humboldt University of Berlin Lucentini M 31 December 2012 The Rome Guide Step by Step through History s Greatest City ISBN 9781623710088 Media related to Temple of Antoninus and Faustina Rome at Wikimedia Commons Preceded byAra Pacis Landmarks of RomeTemple of Antoninus and Faustina Succeeded byTemple of Apollo Palatinus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Temple of Antoninus and Faustina amp oldid 1101093671, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.