DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0114
TEMPLES IN ITALY AND GAUL.
93
of this mode of lighting the ancient temples. We call attention to this point, for it is our
opinion that, with the exception of those that were hypaethral, having an implumum or small
central court, all Greek and Roman temples were lighted by the doorway only. The people
were not admitted into the interiors of temples; the priest and the servitors alone entered;
on the occasion of certain ceremonies, such as initiations, or when offerings were presented
to the god, the people entered the porticos only.
The manner of lighting adopted by the Byzantines of Athens is the only thing doubtful
as regards the adaptation of the temple to their worship. As regards decoration, we may be
assured that in point of richness the church differed hut little from the temple.
The temple of Minerva Polias was also converted into a church; the ncios was divided
by two parallel walls, which formed three distinct chapels.
All the other small temples or aedicules which were within the enclosure of the Acropolis,
and which were not sanctified by a Christian destination, were destroyed. We ought then to be
grateful to the Athenians of the 7th century, who caused the preservation of the Parthenon
by placing it under the protection of religion.1
The little temple on the Ilissus, which Leake and Gell consider to have been that of
Triptolemus, became a church dedicated to Holy Friday ('Ay/a naparrxzur'i). This building no
longer exists.
The temple of Theseus was transformed into a church dedicated to St. George; the
opisthodomos was demolished ; but this appears to have been done in comparatively modern
times.
The other temples of Greece — those of Sunium, fiEgina, Corinth, and Bassae, which had
never been adapted to ecclesiastical uses, were allowed to fall into decay.
TEMPLES IN ITALY AND GAUL.
TN the Empire of the West paganism resisted firmly the edicts of the emperors, and
the temples of Rome were still frequented by pagans when those of the East were almost
all closed. In Europe, as in Asia, the Christians showed no repugnance to establish their
worship in the ancient sanctuaries of paganism. At Salona, the town of Diocletian, there
were two temples, consecrated one to Jupiter and the other to Aesculapius ; the former was
dedicated to the Virgin, and is still the cathedral of Spalatro; the latter was converted into
the church of St. John. Yet a great many new churches were erected: amongst them may be
mentioned that of St. Vitale, at Ravenna, which introduced into Italy the Byzantine style in
all its purity. Its date is A.D. 545. The magnificent mosaics which decorate it, and which
represent Justinian and Theodora surrounded by their court, have been so often described and
engraved, that it is unnecessary to mention them at length.
The church of Sta Maria in Cosmedin, which was erected A.D. 553, is one of those
rare edifices attributed to the Arians, who built but little, but who took possession of the
churches of the orthodox. This church was built upon the site of a fountain into which
neophytes were plunged at baptism. It is supposed to have been founded in the reign of
Theodoric and completed after the death of that prince.
The dome is ornamented with a mosaic representing cur Saviour being baptized by St. John.
The figures of the twelve Apostles are ranged round, separated by bunches of flowers placed
in large vases. These mosaics are attributed to Agnellus, who was created archbishop A.D. 555,
after he had banished the Arians.3 It is evident that this arrangement of the figures was
1 Sco Stuart, Antiquities of Athens; Spoil & Wheler, Travels Beul6, VAcropole d’Athenes, — Journal cles Savants, 1847.
in the Orient; Laborde, Athenes aux XVT et XVIT Siecles; 2 Ciampini, de Musivis.
2 B
93
of this mode of lighting the ancient temples. We call attention to this point, for it is our
opinion that, with the exception of those that were hypaethral, having an implumum or small
central court, all Greek and Roman temples were lighted by the doorway only. The people
were not admitted into the interiors of temples; the priest and the servitors alone entered;
on the occasion of certain ceremonies, such as initiations, or when offerings were presented
to the god, the people entered the porticos only.
The manner of lighting adopted by the Byzantines of Athens is the only thing doubtful
as regards the adaptation of the temple to their worship. As regards decoration, we may be
assured that in point of richness the church differed hut little from the temple.
The temple of Minerva Polias was also converted into a church; the ncios was divided
by two parallel walls, which formed three distinct chapels.
All the other small temples or aedicules which were within the enclosure of the Acropolis,
and which were not sanctified by a Christian destination, were destroyed. We ought then to be
grateful to the Athenians of the 7th century, who caused the preservation of the Parthenon
by placing it under the protection of religion.1
The little temple on the Ilissus, which Leake and Gell consider to have been that of
Triptolemus, became a church dedicated to Holy Friday ('Ay/a naparrxzur'i). This building no
longer exists.
The temple of Theseus was transformed into a church dedicated to St. George; the
opisthodomos was demolished ; but this appears to have been done in comparatively modern
times.
The other temples of Greece — those of Sunium, fiEgina, Corinth, and Bassae, which had
never been adapted to ecclesiastical uses, were allowed to fall into decay.
TEMPLES IN ITALY AND GAUL.
TN the Empire of the West paganism resisted firmly the edicts of the emperors, and
the temples of Rome were still frequented by pagans when those of the East were almost
all closed. In Europe, as in Asia, the Christians showed no repugnance to establish their
worship in the ancient sanctuaries of paganism. At Salona, the town of Diocletian, there
were two temples, consecrated one to Jupiter and the other to Aesculapius ; the former was
dedicated to the Virgin, and is still the cathedral of Spalatro; the latter was converted into
the church of St. John. Yet a great many new churches were erected: amongst them may be
mentioned that of St. Vitale, at Ravenna, which introduced into Italy the Byzantine style in
all its purity. Its date is A.D. 545. The magnificent mosaics which decorate it, and which
represent Justinian and Theodora surrounded by their court, have been so often described and
engraved, that it is unnecessary to mention them at length.
The church of Sta Maria in Cosmedin, which was erected A.D. 553, is one of those
rare edifices attributed to the Arians, who built but little, but who took possession of the
churches of the orthodox. This church was built upon the site of a fountain into which
neophytes were plunged at baptism. It is supposed to have been founded in the reign of
Theodoric and completed after the death of that prince.
The dome is ornamented with a mosaic representing cur Saviour being baptized by St. John.
The figures of the twelve Apostles are ranged round, separated by bunches of flowers placed
in large vases. These mosaics are attributed to Agnellus, who was created archbishop A.D. 555,
after he had banished the Arians.3 It is evident that this arrangement of the figures was
1 Sco Stuart, Antiquities of Athens; Spoil & Wheler, Travels Beul6, VAcropole d’Athenes, — Journal cles Savants, 1847.
in the Orient; Laborde, Athenes aux XVT et XVIT Siecles; 2 Ciampini, de Musivis.
2 B