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Roman Temples
The names of the main gods and goddesses were Jupiter, Juno, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Neptune,
Minerva, Vesta, Ceres, Diana, Volcan, and Apollo. Other
important Gods and Goddesses honoured at the temples of the
Romans included Janus, Saturnus, Flora, Pomona, Portunus, Fontanus, Bacchus, Cupid,
and Pluto.
Prayers at Roman Temples
Prayers were offered to the relevant
deities. In matters of love the Romans would pray in
the temples to Venus. Roman Soldiers would pray to Mars the God of
War and so on. Some temples were even dedicated to
the Emperors who had been proclaimed as gods. Many
Roman Temples were commissioned by Roman Generals to thank
the Gods for the generals' victories. The majority of Roman
Temples were dedicated to specific gods and goddesses.
Facts and Features of Roman Temples
Facts and Features of Roman
Temples. Temples were large, ornate and
numerous. Roman temples featured
some, or all, of the following:
The temples were located in
important positions such as at one
side of the forum or alongside one
of the major roads
Roman Temples had
a gabled roofs
Temples had a
deep porch called a portico with
high columns
A frontal
staircase giving access to a high
platform was called a podium
The distance between columns
of rectangular were proportional to the diameter of the column
(Roman Columns)
New materials
were used in the construction of
Roman Temples such as concrete with
brick and stone facing and marble
veneers
Walls were painted
in Fresco
- the frieze often depicted Roman
life
Sculptures of
Gods and Goddesses were used as
decoration in the form of free
standing statues
Treasures were
sometimes kept in the underground
chambers of the temples
Some Roman temples were round, notably some of the
Temples dedicated to Vesta
Sacrifices at Roman Temples
In Ancient Rome a
fundamental basis of the religion was the belief that if the
Gods and Goddesses were happy then they would receive good fortune. It was
therefore important to worship the Roman deities on both a
daily basis and by special pilgrimages. Sacrificial
offerings were made to the gods. The types of sacrifices
were very specific. The sex of the animal had to correspond
to the sex of the god or goddess to whom it was offered.
White animals were sacrificed to the gods of the upper world
whereas black animals to the underworld. Outside the Roman temples
various traders sold small birds and animals for the Romans
to offer.
Famous Roman Temples
The ruins of many famous temples can be seen in Rome today.
These include the following:
The
round temple of Vesta dates to the time of Numa Pompilus *** Temple of Castor and
Pollux in the Roman Forum *** Temple of Saturn *** Temple of Vespasian
*** The Temple of Julius
Caesar
The ruins of many ancient temples can
be found in the countries that were conquered by the Romans.
In London St. Pauls Cathedral was built on the site which
once housed a Roman Temple which was dedicated to the Roman goddess Diana.
Another temple, dedicated to the God Apollo, once
stood at Westminster and in 1954 the Roman Temple of Mithras
was discovered in London, the remains or ruins of which can be viewed
at Bucklesbury House in Victoria Street. The re-constructed
Roman temple is now on an elevated platform some six feet above
street level.
The Decline of the Roman Temples and Gods
In 312AD the emperor Constantine the Great believed he had
received a sign from the God of the Christians in a dream on
the night before an important battle. The battle was won and
the Emperor Constantine showed his gratitude by converting
to Christianity. Eventually the whole of the Empire followed
the lead of their emperor and the great Roman Temples and
their gods and goddesses began their decline.
Roman Temples
The content of this category on life in Ancient Rome provides free educational
details, facts and information for reference and research
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different categories containing the history, facts and
information about Ancient Rome. Just like the subject of
Roman Temples there is hardly a page of Roman history and the Romans
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some way, connected to the Roman Colosseum which became a
symbol of Rome, its society, culture and life.
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