DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0111
90
PAGAN TEMPLES CONVERTED INTO CHURCHES.
the general character of the edifice very much resembled that of the basilica of Sta Maria
Maggiore and the church of Bethlehem.1
There is no documentary evidence informing us how long this venerable structure survived
the invasion of the Seldjouks, who ravaged Caria and destroyed the town of Stauropolis (or
Aphrodisias). Gheira is now the name of the village that stands upon the site of the ancient
city.
THE TEMPLE 0 E ROME AND AUGUSTUS
AT ANCYRA.
The Galatians of Ancyra, to whom St. Paul dedicated his epistle, showed themselves disposed
to receive the Christian faith during the first century. Amongst these people, who had carried
with them into Asia the austere manners of the Gauls, their ancestors, polytheism had a more
severe, we might almost say a more honest character, than amongst the Asiatics. They had
adopted the gods of Rome; the first families amongst them aspired to the priesthood,
which led to political honours; but we do not find amongst them those deities whose
worship occasioned such frightful orgies as those mentioned by Eusebius.
Ancyra was renowned for its temple of Rome and Augustus, upon the walls of which
was inscribed the testament of the successor of Caesar. Here the worship possessed a political
character — it was an incessant commemoration of the great actions of the reign of the emperor.
Yet the altars of these conventional gods were the first to fall before the reasoning of the
Gospel.
The temple of Augustus had been erected scarcely half a century before St. Paul undermined
its foundations by preaching the unknown God. The mission of St. Paul was continued in
Galatia by St. Clement of Alexandria, who went to live in Cappadocia; and St. Clement of
Ancyra, the apostle and great patriarch of the Galatians, finished, in the 4th century, the work of
regeneration, and then suffered martyrdom. The name of St. Clement is still held in veneration
by the inhabitants of this town, and they show the ruins of a Byzantine church that was
dedicated to him. The Emperor Basil, the Macedonian, built in Pera, a suburb of Con-
stantinople, a church in which was placed the head of St. Clement. It is supposed that
this relic was conveyed to Erance when Constantinople was taken by the Latins.2
Probably the temple of Rome and Augustus was finally closed at the time of the promul-
gation of the edicts of Constantine. We know that the goddess Rome and the god Augustus
ceased to be of importance when Byzantium became the seat of the Empire.
As we find it in the present day, the temple of Ancyra, deprived of its porticos and of its
finest ornaments, has suffered to a great extent at the hands of unknown depredators. Perhaps
no part of it would have been still extant if Christianity had not placed it under protection
of the Cross. It is not known how many years elapsed between the time when the temple was
closed and the time when it was converted into a church ; but it was during this period that
the porticos were removed, and that the Greek and Latin inscriptions that existed were
mutilated by greedy hands, eagerly searching for the bronze cramps that held the stones
together.
When the Caliphs took possession of Ancyra, the site of the ancient church was devoted to
the worship of Islam; but the orientation of the ancient temple did not answer for the
Mahomedan rites; so they built close to it a mosque, still existing, the vicinity of which
protected the ancient edifice.
1 An inscription engraved upon one of the pilasters still
standing leads us to believe that the temple of Aphrodisias
became the church of the Ascension. A medallion (which we
give in the Plate of Inscriptions) encloses a cross, and there
is round it the inscription ’AvdXijypig rov Kvpiov (the Ascension
of the Lord).
The first churches were built in commemoration of the
Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. On one of the imposts
of the doorway, there is a medallion of the same form as the
preceding, but a little larger ; it also contains a cross, the
arms of which are ornamented with a moulding. Above the
medallion is the inscription: Kuou por]6rj rw rrot c<w\a> 1YIatrSaftjj
(Lord, afford succour to thy servant Masdares). The name
Masdares is doubtless that of a Cappadocian converted to
Christianity, who occupied an eminent rank in the new church.
2 Baiilet, Vies des Saints, vol. u. p. 307.
PAGAN TEMPLES CONVERTED INTO CHURCHES.
the general character of the edifice very much resembled that of the basilica of Sta Maria
Maggiore and the church of Bethlehem.1
There is no documentary evidence informing us how long this venerable structure survived
the invasion of the Seldjouks, who ravaged Caria and destroyed the town of Stauropolis (or
Aphrodisias). Gheira is now the name of the village that stands upon the site of the ancient
city.
THE TEMPLE 0 E ROME AND AUGUSTUS
AT ANCYRA.
The Galatians of Ancyra, to whom St. Paul dedicated his epistle, showed themselves disposed
to receive the Christian faith during the first century. Amongst these people, who had carried
with them into Asia the austere manners of the Gauls, their ancestors, polytheism had a more
severe, we might almost say a more honest character, than amongst the Asiatics. They had
adopted the gods of Rome; the first families amongst them aspired to the priesthood,
which led to political honours; but we do not find amongst them those deities whose
worship occasioned such frightful orgies as those mentioned by Eusebius.
Ancyra was renowned for its temple of Rome and Augustus, upon the walls of which
was inscribed the testament of the successor of Caesar. Here the worship possessed a political
character — it was an incessant commemoration of the great actions of the reign of the emperor.
Yet the altars of these conventional gods were the first to fall before the reasoning of the
Gospel.
The temple of Augustus had been erected scarcely half a century before St. Paul undermined
its foundations by preaching the unknown God. The mission of St. Paul was continued in
Galatia by St. Clement of Alexandria, who went to live in Cappadocia; and St. Clement of
Ancyra, the apostle and great patriarch of the Galatians, finished, in the 4th century, the work of
regeneration, and then suffered martyrdom. The name of St. Clement is still held in veneration
by the inhabitants of this town, and they show the ruins of a Byzantine church that was
dedicated to him. The Emperor Basil, the Macedonian, built in Pera, a suburb of Con-
stantinople, a church in which was placed the head of St. Clement. It is supposed that
this relic was conveyed to Erance when Constantinople was taken by the Latins.2
Probably the temple of Rome and Augustus was finally closed at the time of the promul-
gation of the edicts of Constantine. We know that the goddess Rome and the god Augustus
ceased to be of importance when Byzantium became the seat of the Empire.
As we find it in the present day, the temple of Ancyra, deprived of its porticos and of its
finest ornaments, has suffered to a great extent at the hands of unknown depredators. Perhaps
no part of it would have been still extant if Christianity had not placed it under protection
of the Cross. It is not known how many years elapsed between the time when the temple was
closed and the time when it was converted into a church ; but it was during this period that
the porticos were removed, and that the Greek and Latin inscriptions that existed were
mutilated by greedy hands, eagerly searching for the bronze cramps that held the stones
together.
When the Caliphs took possession of Ancyra, the site of the ancient church was devoted to
the worship of Islam; but the orientation of the ancient temple did not answer for the
Mahomedan rites; so they built close to it a mosque, still existing, the vicinity of which
protected the ancient edifice.
1 An inscription engraved upon one of the pilasters still
standing leads us to believe that the temple of Aphrodisias
became the church of the Ascension. A medallion (which we
give in the Plate of Inscriptions) encloses a cross, and there
is round it the inscription ’AvdXijypig rov Kvpiov (the Ascension
of the Lord).
The first churches were built in commemoration of the
Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. On one of the imposts
of the doorway, there is a medallion of the same form as the
preceding, but a little larger ; it also contains a cross, the
arms of which are ornamented with a moulding. Above the
medallion is the inscription: Kuou por]6rj rw rrot c<w\a> 1YIatrSaftjj
(Lord, afford succour to thy servant Masdares). The name
Masdares is doubtless that of a Cappadocian converted to
Christianity, who occupied an eminent rank in the new church.
2 Baiilet, Vies des Saints, vol. u. p. 307.