DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61617#0144
THE SANCTUARY OF THE CITY LARES 103
of the side walls of the main room, and two more at the rear;
all were originally flanked by small pilasters which rested on a
projecting base. The remains of an altar may still be seen in
the middle of the room.
The height of both side and rear walls can be approximately
computed from the existing remains, the basis of computation
for the side walls being the thickness of the pilasters at the
entrance. The rear part of the building was certainly not less
than 45 feet high, exclusive of the gable, while the sides could
Fig. 40. — Sanctuary of the City Lares, looking toward the rear, restored.
not have been more than 30 or at most 35. This difference
in height, taken with other indications, obliges us to conclude
that the-central room was treated as a paved court open to the
sky; only the apse and the wings were roofed.
It is evident that we have here a place of worship, yet not,
properly speaking, a temple. The shrine in the apse, with its
broad pedestal for several relatively small images, presents a
striking analogy to the shrines of the Lares found in so many
private houses. Cities, as well as households, had their guar-
dian-spirits. The worship of these tutelary divinities was reor-
ganized by Augustus, who ordered that, just as the Genius of
of the side walls of the main room, and two more at the rear;
all were originally flanked by small pilasters which rested on a
projecting base. The remains of an altar may still be seen in
the middle of the room.
The height of both side and rear walls can be approximately
computed from the existing remains, the basis of computation
for the side walls being the thickness of the pilasters at the
entrance. The rear part of the building was certainly not less
than 45 feet high, exclusive of the gable, while the sides could
Fig. 40. — Sanctuary of the City Lares, looking toward the rear, restored.
not have been more than 30 or at most 35. This difference
in height, taken with other indications, obliges us to conclude
that the-central room was treated as a paved court open to the
sky; only the apse and the wings were roofed.
It is evident that we have here a place of worship, yet not,
properly speaking, a temple. The shrine in the apse, with its
broad pedestal for several relatively small images, presents a
striking analogy to the shrines of the Lares found in so many
private houses. Cities, as well as households, had their guar-
dian-spirits. The worship of these tutelary divinities was reor-
ganized by Augustus, who ordered that, just as the Genius of