Audio Guide Rome – The Temple of Hercules

The temple stands for the economic power of the Roman merchants, who, in the 2^nd century BC, were able to built up the Temple thanks to the work of Ancient Greece artists. The Temple is almost completely built with Greek marble.

The temple decorations and architecture is deeply inspired to 4^th century BC Greek art, with a mixture of more modern style from later Greek art.

The temple has a round feature with a diameter of almost 15 meters. Such shape is considered quite a rarity for Roman art.

The temple originally consisted of  20 Corinthian columns made of marble.

One of the columns was lost during the years, while nine of the columns were later re-built using Carrara marble.

The upper part of the temple went lost and the roof was built in modern age.

The building was probably originally covered by an entablature and by a dome-like structure.

From the 12^th century, the temple was mostly used for catholic rituals: the proof is given by some of the frescos representing the Madonna and the Saints, probably dating from 1400.