One
of the best-preserved monuments in the
Forum Romanum, and perhaps one of the
best preserved treasures of the city of
Rome, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
was built by decree of the Senate on the
death of Faustina in 141 CE. In 161 CE
the city placed a memorial statue ceremonies
at the death of Antoninus Pius…
so the name of the temple eventually became
“The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina”.
Records of what happened from year to
year at the temple are scattered at best.
In the 7th and 8th centuries the church
later known as San Lorenzo in Miranda
was built into the pronaos. Pieces were
added and subtracted, and its original
purpose was either mistaken or forgotten.
It is known that in 1429 CE the church
of San Lorenzo was given by Martin V to
the Università degli Speziali (College
of Pharmacists) to found a hospital. Also,
in 1536 CE, on the occasion of the visit
of Emperor Charles V, three chapels of
the church were removed from the pronaos.
This sort of thing goes on until excavations
started to ascertain the original purpose
of the area surrounding and including
the temple (starting about in 1810 CE,
then again in 1876 CE, and continuing
until today).
Today
the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina is
a popular place for tourists to visit
and try to imagine what it would be like
to be in the Forum Romanum during the
height of the Roman Empire. For years
many parts of the temple were covered
by silt as the river Tiber flowed thought
the Forum. This factor has helped make
the temple an excellent example of the
various types of architecture that developed
over the ages, and when exactly each of
those types of architecture took hold.
Antoninus
& Faustina Travel Links |
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