DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.46296#0155
154
I DAS BAUWERK AN DER KURETENSTRASSE
Alternative interpretations were also offered: Friedmund Hueber proposed that the temple
might have been transferred to its current position in a second building phase1087. Ulrike Out-
schar tried to connect the monument to Antinoos1088, the companion of the emperor Hadrian who
drowned in the Nile 130 A.D.1089. None of these suggestions found general acceptance, and the
temple on Curetes Street remained without a final interpretation.
1.10.1.2 Architecture
The so-called Temple of Hadrian is an integral part of the Baths of Varius, which covers the
main part of the insula. Its plan is essentially that of a tetrastyle prostyle temple with a rectan-
gular cella (plan l)1090. The pronaos is shifted slightly towards the east, but this asymmetry is
not easily recognizable in the actual building. Probably this slight shift in the axis was caused
by a pre-existing monument in the immediate vicinity that has disappeared due to the massive
changes in Late Antiquity in the area1091. A so-called Syrian pediment adorned the Street front
(pl. 3) and was carried by two columns and two pillars on the outer ends of the fagade. The
central part of the pronaos was originally covered by a sail vault, while the sides each carried a
barrel vault made from large stone blocks. A regulär barrel vault most likely also provided the
covering for the cella (pl. 62, 2).
Based on the architecture two main facts can be established for the general interpretation of the
monument1092: Firstly, the temple is connected to an adjacent building. A large part of the insula
is covered by the Baths of Varius (pl. 188)1093. One of its entranceways is located immediately
east of the temple (plan 2), and architectural detail link it to the temple: First, the east side of the
pillar of the eastern antae was worked as a connecting surface for the door frame, which can be
attributed to the first building phase because the decoration of the pilaster is symmetrical on the
front, and the original surface on the side therefore still remains; second, the entablature of the
temple, namely the architrave, frieze and cornice, still extends above the doorway to the bath.
The ornamentation of these architectural members is identical to the original architecture of the
temple. In addition, the masonry technique employed in the temple and the first building phases
of the Baths of Varius is the same1094. In conclusion, it can be said that the connection between
the temple and the bath was part of the original architectural scheme and one that continued
through later phases.
The second major point that can be established from the architectural analysis is the connec-
tion of the wall friezes in the pronaos to the original building phase. The reliefs depict scenes
from the mythological past of Ephesos and of the sanctuary of Artemis (plans 3. 4. 6)1095. Traces
of repair on certain building members lead Miltner and other early researchers to assume that a
second building phase had existed, to which this wall frieze can be attributed. Recent research
during the project, however, has shown that building activities were limited to the Western part
of the pronaos1096. Architrave 100A is broken on its Western short side and was repaired with
clamps on its outside surface, and perhaps also with do weis on its inside (pl. 212). The two parts
of 105D were re-connected also using iron clamps. The eastern intercolumnation of the fagade
1087 Hueber 1997, 86-88.
1088 Outschar 1999, 443-448.
1089 On Antinoos and his worship see Meyer 1991, esp. 194-211.
1090 See chap. 1.4.
1091 Thür - Pietsch 1997, 10 suggested that honorary monuments might have existed on the north side of Curetes Street
1092 See chap. 1.4.
1093 See chap. 1.7.1 and below.
1094 On the building phases of the baths see chap. 1.7.1.
1095 See chap. 1.6.
1096 The building material in both cases is marble. Also the Chemical analysis conceming the origin from different
quarries does not permit the differentiation between original architectural members and later preplacement parts.
See pls. 43-46 and chap. II. 1.
I DAS BAUWERK AN DER KURETENSTRASSE
Alternative interpretations were also offered: Friedmund Hueber proposed that the temple
might have been transferred to its current position in a second building phase1087. Ulrike Out-
schar tried to connect the monument to Antinoos1088, the companion of the emperor Hadrian who
drowned in the Nile 130 A.D.1089. None of these suggestions found general acceptance, and the
temple on Curetes Street remained without a final interpretation.
1.10.1.2 Architecture
The so-called Temple of Hadrian is an integral part of the Baths of Varius, which covers the
main part of the insula. Its plan is essentially that of a tetrastyle prostyle temple with a rectan-
gular cella (plan l)1090. The pronaos is shifted slightly towards the east, but this asymmetry is
not easily recognizable in the actual building. Probably this slight shift in the axis was caused
by a pre-existing monument in the immediate vicinity that has disappeared due to the massive
changes in Late Antiquity in the area1091. A so-called Syrian pediment adorned the Street front
(pl. 3) and was carried by two columns and two pillars on the outer ends of the fagade. The
central part of the pronaos was originally covered by a sail vault, while the sides each carried a
barrel vault made from large stone blocks. A regulär barrel vault most likely also provided the
covering for the cella (pl. 62, 2).
Based on the architecture two main facts can be established for the general interpretation of the
monument1092: Firstly, the temple is connected to an adjacent building. A large part of the insula
is covered by the Baths of Varius (pl. 188)1093. One of its entranceways is located immediately
east of the temple (plan 2), and architectural detail link it to the temple: First, the east side of the
pillar of the eastern antae was worked as a connecting surface for the door frame, which can be
attributed to the first building phase because the decoration of the pilaster is symmetrical on the
front, and the original surface on the side therefore still remains; second, the entablature of the
temple, namely the architrave, frieze and cornice, still extends above the doorway to the bath.
The ornamentation of these architectural members is identical to the original architecture of the
temple. In addition, the masonry technique employed in the temple and the first building phases
of the Baths of Varius is the same1094. In conclusion, it can be said that the connection between
the temple and the bath was part of the original architectural scheme and one that continued
through later phases.
The second major point that can be established from the architectural analysis is the connec-
tion of the wall friezes in the pronaos to the original building phase. The reliefs depict scenes
from the mythological past of Ephesos and of the sanctuary of Artemis (plans 3. 4. 6)1095. Traces
of repair on certain building members lead Miltner and other early researchers to assume that a
second building phase had existed, to which this wall frieze can be attributed. Recent research
during the project, however, has shown that building activities were limited to the Western part
of the pronaos1096. Architrave 100A is broken on its Western short side and was repaired with
clamps on its outside surface, and perhaps also with do weis on its inside (pl. 212). The two parts
of 105D were re-connected also using iron clamps. The eastern intercolumnation of the fagade
1087 Hueber 1997, 86-88.
1088 Outschar 1999, 443-448.
1089 On Antinoos and his worship see Meyer 1991, esp. 194-211.
1090 See chap. 1.4.
1091 Thür - Pietsch 1997, 10 suggested that honorary monuments might have existed on the north side of Curetes Street
1092 See chap. 1.4.
1093 See chap. 1.7.1 and below.
1094 On the building phases of the baths see chap. 1.7.1.
1095 See chap. 1.6.
1096 The building material in both cases is marble. Also the Chemical analysis conceming the origin from different
quarries does not permit the differentiation between original architectural members and later preplacement parts.
See pls. 43-46 and chap. II. 1.
