Learn about how Hadrian created the Pantheon as we know it today from the ruins of previous temples built by Marcus Agrippa and Domitian. A guest post by Context Travel Tours. Hadrian - the great unifier of the Roman Empire, the admirer of Athens, the architect, the poet, the visionary. As one of Rome’s most… Continue reading Guest post: How Hadrian helped rebuild the Pantheon
On the eastern tip of the Rodopou Peninsula in West Crete are the scanty remains of a temple dedicated to the Cretan goddess Diktynna (Diktynnaion). Diktynna was the virgin goddess of hunting and was worshipped fervently in western Crete as the patroness of hunters and fishermen. --- Diktynna's name may be connected with Mount Dikte,… Continue reading The Hadrianic Temple of Diktynna in Crete
Happy Saturnalia to all! Today, December 17, marks the beginning of the Saturnalia, a festival held in honour of Saturn that lasted for between 3 and 7 days. It originated as a farmer’s festival to mark the end of the autumn planting season in honour of Saturnus and despite Livy's claim that the festival was… Continue reading Io, Saturnalia!
The Temple of Hadrian at Ephesus is regarded as one of the most famous monuments of the ancient city of Ephesus. It lies on the south side of Curates Street, one of Ephesus' main arteries connecting the Gate of Hercules with the Library of Celsus. The remains of the Temple were unearthed in 1956 during… Continue reading The Temple of Hadrian at Ephesus, Ionia (Turkey)
Nestled in the middle of the Iglesiente mountains in the southwestern part of Sardinia, the ruins of the Punico-Roman Temple of Antas offer visitors a truly majestic sight. After lying abandoned for centuries, the temple was discovered in 1838 and extensively restored in 1967. Most impressively, the original Ionic columns were excavated and re-erected. The… Continue reading Photoset: The Punico-Roman Temple of Antas, Sardinia
Just a short walk from the Pantheon, in Piazza di Pietra, are the majestic remains of the Temple of the deified Hadrian (Hadrianeum), built by Antoninus Pius, Hadrian's adopted son and successor. Only eleven columns with capitals and the cella wall of the original temple are still visible today. In 1696, during the pontificate of… Continue reading The Hadrianeum and the personifications of provinces
Following my visit to Minturnae (see previous post here), I continued my journey north along the Appian Way to reach Terracina, a picturesque town on the Tyrrhenian coast situated approximately half-way between Rome and Naples. Legend has it that Odysseus sailed here on his travels and surrendered to Circe's enchantment. Circe is said to have… Continue reading A journey to Terracina on the Riviera of Ulysses
The Temple of Divus Antoninus and Divus Faustina (Templum Divi Antonini et Divae Faustinae) was built by the emperor Antoninus Pius in A.D. 141 on the north side of the Via Sacra shortly after the death of his wife, the empress Faustina. When Antoninus Pius died in A.D. 161 (on 7th March), the temple was… Continue reading Photoset: The temple of Antoninus and Faustina, Rome
The Roman Temple of Évora (Templo Romano de Évora), also referred to as the Templo de Diana (although there is no basis in fact for this designation), is an ancient temple in the historic city of Évora, Portugal. The temple is part of the historical centre of the city, which was included in the classification… Continue reading Photoset: The Roman Temple of Évora (Portugal)
Narona was an ancient city located in the Narenta Valley in present-day southern Croatia near the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina. The valley, home to the ancient Illyrian tribe, served as the route for the exchange of goods between the Mediterranean, the Adriatic Sea and the Illyrian hinterland. Narona became a major Roman stronghold and had a Roman… Continue reading The Augusteum at Narona (Croatia)
