DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0118
9G
PAGAN TEMPLES CONVERTED INTO CHURCHES.
in height, through which run two passages which join one another in the centre. At
the point of junction is a dark chamber, which communicated with the temple by means
of a round hole cut in the floor, afterwards stopped up by the Christians. A circular
passage also runs through the mass of the basement. These arrangements show that ceremonies
were practised in the basement as well as in the temple itself.
Many inscriptions were collected during the last century, which prove that this temple
was dedicated to Portumnus.
PORTYMNO ET
EORTVNAE TRANQVILLAE
SACRYM
Q • CORIDIVS • Q • E • PAL
CAMILLAS
PRAEPECTVS PORT
NAY
VOT VOVIT L • M •
Offering to Portumnus and Tranquil Fortune. Quintus Coridius, son of Quintus, of the Falaline
tribe Camillus, prefect of the arsenals, has freely accomplished his vow.
PORTVMNO BONO
DEO TRANQVIL
SEX CLAYDIVS SEX • E •
PAL • ANTAEDIVS
CYRATOR YICOR
PORT • ET • TI • CLAVDI
YS II YIR DD
To the good Deity Tortumnus Tranquillus, Sextus Claudius, son of Sextus, of the Palatine tribe
Antcedius, Curator of the streets of the port, and Tiberius Claudius, Duumvir, have made
this dedication.
The arrangements of the basement present peculiarities which are not to be seen in
other temples. Perhaps this part of the edifice had been dedicated to Neptune, since these
two divinities had temples in Rome which were dedicated to them in common.1
When the temple was turned into a church, the basement was useless, divine worship
being celebrated in the cella. This edifice was without doubt the type of other circular
churches which were built in the reign of Constantine and his successors, and for this reason
we think it deserves particular attention.
There were many temples converted into churches and chapels in Italy and Sicily; we
may mention, especially, the cathedral of Syracuse, which passes for an ancient temple of
Juno. The columns of its portico are of the Greek Doric order, fluted: they have been
connected by a wall. We are not able to give other details respecting this edifice.
The case is the same with the temple of Diana Tifatina2 at Capua, which in the 7th
century was converted into the church of St. Michael the Archangel. The pronaos and the
cella still exist. The columns of the interior of the nave have been taken from the peribolus.
»
1 See Rosini, Roman Antiquities, book ii. ch; 13, p: 79.
2 Mount Tifata is in Campania, on the Samnian frontier, not far from the confluence of the Vulturnus and the Sabatus.
PAGAN TEMPLES CONVERTED INTO CHURCHES.
in height, through which run two passages which join one another in the centre. At
the point of junction is a dark chamber, which communicated with the temple by means
of a round hole cut in the floor, afterwards stopped up by the Christians. A circular
passage also runs through the mass of the basement. These arrangements show that ceremonies
were practised in the basement as well as in the temple itself.
Many inscriptions were collected during the last century, which prove that this temple
was dedicated to Portumnus.
PORTYMNO ET
EORTVNAE TRANQVILLAE
SACRYM
Q • CORIDIVS • Q • E • PAL
CAMILLAS
PRAEPECTVS PORT
NAY
VOT VOVIT L • M •
Offering to Portumnus and Tranquil Fortune. Quintus Coridius, son of Quintus, of the Falaline
tribe Camillus, prefect of the arsenals, has freely accomplished his vow.
PORTVMNO BONO
DEO TRANQVIL
SEX CLAYDIVS SEX • E •
PAL • ANTAEDIVS
CYRATOR YICOR
PORT • ET • TI • CLAVDI
YS II YIR DD
To the good Deity Tortumnus Tranquillus, Sextus Claudius, son of Sextus, of the Palatine tribe
Antcedius, Curator of the streets of the port, and Tiberius Claudius, Duumvir, have made
this dedication.
The arrangements of the basement present peculiarities which are not to be seen in
other temples. Perhaps this part of the edifice had been dedicated to Neptune, since these
two divinities had temples in Rome which were dedicated to them in common.1
When the temple was turned into a church, the basement was useless, divine worship
being celebrated in the cella. This edifice was without doubt the type of other circular
churches which were built in the reign of Constantine and his successors, and for this reason
we think it deserves particular attention.
There were many temples converted into churches and chapels in Italy and Sicily; we
may mention, especially, the cathedral of Syracuse, which passes for an ancient temple of
Juno. The columns of its portico are of the Greek Doric order, fluted: they have been
connected by a wall. We are not able to give other details respecting this edifice.
The case is the same with the temple of Diana Tifatina2 at Capua, which in the 7th
century was converted into the church of St. Michael the Archangel. The pronaos and the
cella still exist. The columns of the interior of the nave have been taken from the peribolus.
»
1 See Rosini, Roman Antiquities, book ii. ch; 13, p: 79.
2 Mount Tifata is in Campania, on the Samnian frontier, not far from the confluence of the Vulturnus and the Sabatus.