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The Vaulting Structure of the Temple of Venus and Rome At Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions - Modena, Lourenço & Roca (eds) © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 04 1536 379 9 The vaulting structure ofthe Temple ofVenus and Rome at the RomanForum C. González-Longo & D. Theodossopoulos Inslitule ofArchileclure, School o/lhe Built Environment, University o/Nottingham, Nottingham, UK ABSTRACT: The Temple ofVenus and Rome at the edge ofthe Roman Forum displays the unique pattem of two back-to-back cellae. The Hellenistic proportions of the building belong to the eclectic architecture of the emperor Hadrian, who allegedly designed the temple. Significant restoration works were carried out later in 307 A.D. by Maxentius and the prevailing opinion associates the vaulted roof with this intervenlion. An attempt to clarify the origin ofthese vaults and to discuss design issues and solutions associated with these systems through a stylistic, constructional and structural analysis is carried ou!. The major construction phases of the temple will be identified and the main characteristics of each period will be studied, in terms of aesthetic preferences and construction techniques. Structural assessment of the cell ae will be performed and an attempt is made to interpret the degradation and collapse ofthe building. lNTRODUCTION 11111111111111111111111111111 I. I The temple •••••••••••••••••••••• The Temple of Venere Felix and Roma Aeterna was the biggest temple of Rome and one of the biggest of the Antiquity. Founded and allegedly designed by the emperor Hadrian, its construction was initiated in 121 mt::X::::J m A.D. (there was already a project in 117 A.D.), it was •••••••••••••••••••••• inaugurated in 135 AD. and finished by Antoninus 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 Pius in 140 A.D. lt is an example of Hadrian's eclec­ tic architecture that combines Hellenistic proportions 25m with Roman construclion techniques like vaulting systems from solid masonry. • ••••••••••••••••••••• The temple has an extremely interesting design, 111111111111111111111111111111111.1111111111111111111111111111 where the Greek architecture meets the Roman. It dis­ • • • li • •••••••••• ••••• plays the unique pattem oftwo back-to-back cellae of 111111111 111111111 considerable dimensions under a single roof, and no li 111 • 11 •• other similar arrangement is known. li 111 IIJ li • IIJ 111 11 11 "I" li 111111111 The best-conserved cella is that dedicated to Rome 111 •• 111. li! 11 li! 111 li! li li! 111.11 .1II •• 11J (West), which was later incorporated to the church and li 11 11 li 111 11 11 li 11 111 111 li 111 11 li li 11 111 li li 111 111 monastery ofSanta Maria Nova, known today as Santa li 11 IIJ 11 111 11 IIJ 11 • 111 IIJ li 111 11 li li • IIJ 11 li 11 111 Francesca Romana. The cella was raised by five steps from the surround­ ing peristyle (Lorenzatti 1990), which is composed Figure I. Pl an oftwo possible reconstructions ofthe Temple ofVenus and Rome. by a double line of white marble Corinthian tluted columns, ten in the front and twenty-two to the sides, above a seven steps stylobate. Taking in account the existing foundations, two different possible plans have springings along lhe perimetric walls. The interior of been proposed for the original temple (Fig. I). lhe cella presents an apse semidome finished in stucco The cellae were roofed by coffered masonry barrei tlanked by two porphyry columns, while two lines of vaults of which today only fragments survive in the porphyry columns on a conunon stylobate run parallel 1383 Figure 2. Actual situation ofthe complex of the Temple of Venus and Rome (Rome City Council). , I to the main axis, enelosing niehes with aedieul ae in j la between. _L Figure 3. Section of the Pantheon. (De Fine Licht 1966). 1.2 The site The site had important symbolic connotations, and in every place. The Hellenistic period brought a more probably also hi storical, arehiteetural and urban val­ refined and intellectual approach, as optie axes and ues for Hadrian, aeting as a 'hinge' between the new perspectives fo rm part of the design (as fo r example and the old part ofthe city. It was oeeupied previously in the Altar of Zeus and the Temple of Athena Polias by the Nero's Golden House Hall and later by a tem­ Nikephoros in Pergamon). pie dedi eated to the Sun. A huge operation had to take So far as the layout is concerned, it is known fro m plaee to allow the temple to be built, ineluding the Pausanias that there were double temples in the Pelo­ reloeation ofthe Colossus ofNero and subsequently a ponnese, whieh probably Hadrian saw duri ng his tour massive 100 x 145 m artificial conerete platform was in 124- 125 A.D. Unfortunately, the remains today laid (Fig. 2). from these temples are in conclusive. Probably the clos­ The locati on, orientati on and perhaps the form of est similarity eoul d be fo und at the temple ofAphro dite th e buil ding could have been heavily conditi oned by and Ares in the route between Argos and Mantinea important pre-existences. The aetual dimensions of (Barattolo 1978). the temple precinct were probably determined by the The temple ofVenus and Rome was a gigantic eon­ preeedent Golden House Hall as a similar approaeh struction of 11 3 x 56 m in plan and around 30 m high. was fo llowed at the Pantheon, another fo un dation by Similar dimensions ( 108 x 51 m) are found only in the Hadrian, where a previously open public space was Hell enistic temple ofApollo in Didymae (Asia Minor), eovered (Loerke 1990). whieh had an open roof and double eolonnade. There are however other major buildings that 1.3 Greek and Roman precedents Hadrian would have visi ted which could have infl u­ eneed the templ e of Venus & Rome, such as the Hadrian was an innovative architeet and a keen trav­ Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek, the Temple of Artemis ell er. Probably during his multi pie travels he had Leukophryene in Magnesia ad Maeandrum, or the the chance to study buildings that would influence the double Temple of Zeus and Cable in Sardes. design of the temple ofVenus and Rome. Other Hadri anie examples of coffered vaults ex ist in There is a clear dichotomy in the approach to the the ma in Bath s ofVilla Adriana (a preeious collection design of th e temple. From the exterior it follows the of Hadrian's architectural repertoire), and of course Hellenistic tradition ofthe temple as urban and seulp­ in the Pantheon. There is a clear relation between the tural element, and as such appears at an urban scale. construeti on ofthis temple and the almost contempo­ But in its interiors he pursues the Roman innovation of rary construction of the Pantheon (started about 118 hi s age through the achievement of an in teresting spa­ A.D.), due to similarities in the colossal proportions tial experience. Unity of design and eorrespondence and fu nction. As well as the mai n dome, a simil ar eof­ between the exterior and the interior did not appear an fered barrei vault appears in the Pantheon doorway, important issue. The symbolic, ideological an d even whil e its intermediate block presents also affinities iconic purpose was more important in this case. with the area of the temple between the apses th at The arehaic and classic Greek temple was an contains a staircase to the roof (Fig. 3). There are autonomous organism, built in almost the same way also other architectural elements, like the alternanee of 1384 2 CONSTRUCTION PHASES OF THE TEMPLE OF VENUS ANO ROME 2.1 Original design by Hadrian (117- 138 A.D.) Oue to the bad quality ofthe soil and the presence of water in the site, a huge platform had to be built to sup­ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' ~ • '. • • ~ ~ I J ~ ~ port the temple (Giuliani 1992). It is about 150 x 88 m, !li ~ ,f ttL ~ ~ ~ .t!. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ jt, -'- .I: ~ • :lI ~ I standing 8.5 m above the area around the Colosseum and 2.7 m above the Summa Sacra Via. Figure 4. Plan of lhe Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens. (Wilson Jones 2000). It is known from the anecdote concerning the criticism from Apollodorus of Oamascus, quoted by Cassius Dio (IV, 1- 5), that Hadrian personally decided on the design ofthe temple. The unusual fact that the name ofthe architect for important buildings like this temple or the Pantheon has not transcended (unlike buildings under other emperors mandate) could be fur­ ther evidence. In this case, the design and construction of this temple could have been a life-long project for Hadrian. He consecrated the stili unfinished building on his return from Judea (136- 137 A.D.) but it would be completed by his successor Antoninus Pius. Hadrian's intention for the temple to be recognized externally as a Greek temple is clear. For its design, the temple follows the basic ' rule' mentioned by Vitruvius (Book IV): 'lhe lenglh of a lemple must be fl.viee its width'. According to Barattolo (1978), the temple follows the pseudo-dipteral canon dictated by Hermogenes (who has taken previous models like the peripteral Figure 5. Library of Hadrian, Athens, 130 A.D. (Adam doric temple). However, considering that the tem­ 1990). pie of Venus and Rome was decastyle (Plato called ten a 'perfect number'), the design should rather fali under the hyplRthros canon, as described by Vitruvius circular and square exedras and aediculae in the wall, (Book III): which are also very similar to previous Flavian (Trajan) 'lhe hyplRthros is deeastyle, in lhe pronaos and pos­ or even Augustean constructions. This demonstrates, tieum. In olher respeets it is similar to the dipteral, despite the profound spirit of innovation, a well-rooted exeept Ihal in lhe inside il has fl.vo stories of eo/umns intention in Hadrianic constructions of following tra­ a/l round, ai some distanee from the walls, afieI' the ditional forms of architecture, building techniques and manner oflhe peristy/ia ofporticos.
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