Between the years 1926 and 1929 the Old Quarter in Rome was being demolished to make way for some new buildings. In the mix of old buildings were found (among many other things) the ruins of four churches/temples of the republican era: it is belived that these are the Temple of the Fortune of the Present Day, the Temple of Feronia, the Temple of the Lares Permarini, and what many speculate is the Temple of Juturna. Soon the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina became one of the most important archaeological complexes of the city of Rome. Centered on a large paved square these four temples served as a place where Romans could come and worship their gods. Serving as one of the rare examples of architecture from the Republican era, the various temples were completed at different times.

Page1

The temple complexes were excavated during a time where archaeology was in its infancy, so there are many questions that need to be answered about what the temples are and who made them. It is known that the Area survived city fires, was surrounded on three sides by a colonnade, and that several rulers and powerful people made changes of one sort or another to the complex. Over the years many buildings were constructed around, beside, and over the Area, protecting them in a way. Rome has many layers, and in any given area a house can be many centuries older than its neighbours. Such is the case with the area, which even today grudgingly keeps many of its secrets. In fact many still argue even the names and identities of the very temples themselves, and as new techniques come to be developed new evidence is brought forward as to exactly why the small buildings were constructed.

All text contained in Abusy.com is licensed to the public under the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL). All Information is courtesy of Wikipedia.
Copyrights | Privacy Policy | © 2005-2006 Fun Group Inc
All Poster Images Are Used With Permission Or Are Licensed Through Art.com And Allposters.com.