Rome - December 28, 2011 - Forum Boarium

Temple of Portunus

Back in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE the forum Boarium was one of the main food markets of Rome. Strangely it was also the site of the first gladiatorial contest in 264 B.C.E. A fight that was arranged a s a funerary gift for some rich tosser. How did they come up with that? I think it went something like this:

Deceased senators son: "Gosh, Dad's dead, what shall we do in his honor? How about we get a bunch of oiled up muscle men in loincloths to fight to the death in a public square?"

Deceased senators son II: "Well he was a senator...don't you think that's a little tame?"

I suppose it beats a couple of white lilies and a sandwich buffet...anyway arriving at the forum we are greeted with two best preserved republican building in Rome.

Built in 7 BCE the temple of Portunus, god of keys, doors and livestock also associated with ports, interesting. This was Portunus' main temple in Rome and is pretty darn fab. Classically Ionic with a perfectly proportioned pediment, the sides have engaged columns. One of the very visible differences between Roman and Greek architecture was that in Greece columns always had a purpose, in Rome they could be used as raised decorations as here. The Maison Carree in Nimes is very similar (though bigger) and in a similar state of preservation. Quite possibly because they were both converted into churches in the middle ages.

The Temple of Hercules Victor is right behind the temple of Portunus is the round temple of Hercules Victor.
20 Corinthian columns surround this delightful building built sometime between 200 and 100 B.C.E. Once upon a time it surmounted by an architrave and probably a low pitched conical roof. There are carved depictions of the temple of Vesta that show what this must have looked like once.

Just south of this petite rotunda is another fountain with a freaking Triton in it. Really? In the 18th centery some plonker, inspired by Bernini,tossed off this sculpture in their garden shed and then plonked it down here next to the river for lack of something better like a McDonald's or a Starbucks.

Temple of Hercules Victor (the back end of the Temple of Portunus is in the background)