Temple of Vesta
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The Temple of Vesta (Aedes Vesta) was one of the most ancient Roman sanctuaries in the forum. It was dedicated to Vesta, the goddess of the hearth. The much restored remains of the temple stands between the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Temple of Caesar, the Regia and the House of the Vestal Virgins.
The temple underwent many changes through the centuries, maybe because of the inherent danger of fire in the cult, and very little is known about the oldest buildings on the site. They did, however, have some common, immutable features. All the buildings on the spot followed the circular ground plan and the entrance was always to the east.
The current temple dates from 191 BCE, when Julia Domna, wife of the emperor Septimius Severus, ordered a thorough restoration.
The circular cella was surrounded by twenty Corinthian columns and rested on a marble covered podium in opus caementicium with a 15m diameter. The outer walls of the cella was decorated by semi-columns. The inside of the cella only housed the sacred hearth where the Vestal Virgins kept the eternal fire burning.
The temple was closed by Teodosius in 394 BCE, when all non-Christian cults were definitively banned.
The temple was partially rebuilt in 1930 using ancient fragments.
Links
- LacusCurtius: Platner: A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome
- LacusCurtius: Hülsen: Il Foro Romano - Storia e Monumenti (Text in Italian and English)
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Photo gallery of 10 pictures for "Temple of Vesta"
Prints of the photographs are available — read more here.
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The pictures above are taken in the following locations:
- Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy (6 photographs )
- Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy (2 photographs )
- Tabularium, Capitolium, Rome, Italy (1 photograph )
- Palatine Hill, Rome, Italy (1 photograph )
Documents related to "Temple of Vesta":
- House of the Vestal Virgins - The residence of the six vestal virgins in the Roman Forum (Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy)
- Julia Domna - Roman Empress (187-211 CE) (Romans, Historical Persons)
- Numa Pompilius - The second king of Rome (trad. 715-674 BCE) (Roman Kings, Historical Persons)
- Opus Caementicium - Construction with cement (Architecture, Lexicon)
- Regia - The house of the Roman kings and later the Pontifex Maximus (Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy)
- Septimius Severus - Roman Emperor (193-211 CE) (Romans, Historical Persons)
- Temple of Caesar - Temple dedicated in 29 BC by Augustus to deified Julius Caesar (Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy)
- Temple of Castor and Pollux - Temple vowed after the battle of Lake Regillus in 496 BCE (Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy)
- Teodosius - Roman Emperor (379-395 CE) (Romans, Historical Persons)
- Vesta - Goddess of the hearth (Roman Religion and Mythology, Lexicon)
- Vestal Virgins - The only female priesthood in Rome (Roman Religion and Mythology, Lexicon)
Documents linking to "Temple of Vesta":
- Antiquarium - Museum with finds from the area of the Roman Forum (Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy)
- Arch of Augustus - Triumphal arch celebrating Augustus' victory at Actium (Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy)
- Penates - Guardian spirits of the pantry (Roman Religion and Mythology, Lexicon)
- Spring of Juturna - The fountain where Castor and Pollux watered their horses (Forum Romanum, Rome, Italy)
This page is linked under the names "Temple of Vesta" and "Aedes Vesta".
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