Temple of Hercules Victor

The Temple of Hercules Victor ( ' Hercules victorious "; sometimes also called Hercules Olivarius ), accurate to speak of round temple on the Tiber or circular temple in the forum Boarium would be, is an ancient temple in the Forum Boarium in Rome. The round, sides of columns umstandene Temple is the oldest surviving building in Rome, built largely of marble.

Roman The similarity with the remains of the Temple of Vesta in the Forum tempted earlier to the assumption that there had been also a sanctuary of Vesta. But the write-up of Hercules, who was highly revered in Rome, is now secured. A fragmentary inscription on a statue base called Hercules Olivarius. This epithet may be because the client - a wealthy merchant named Marcus Octavius ​​Herrenus - may have acted with oil.

Built around 120 BC, the temple has a diameter of 14.8 meters and consists of a central, circular sanctuary ( cella ), which stood about ten feet high by 19 columns ( one column is missing, perhaps it served as spolia in another building ). The capitals are Corinthian, the bases of tufa.

These columns supported an architrave originally. This is not like the original roof receive. The walls and pillars, however, date back to the time of construction; they form the oldest surviving marble building in Rome.

In the year 1132, the temple was converted into a church dedicated to St. Stephen, and thereby obtained. She served many builders of the Renaissance as inspiration. In the 17th century it was to Santa Maria del Sole.