Temple of Venus Erycina (Capitoline Hill)
The Temple of Venus Erycina (Latin: Aedes Veneris Erycinae) was a temple on the Capitoline Hill in Ancient Rome dedicated to Venus Erycina. This was an aspect of the goddess Venus. Later this temple was probably called the Temple of the Capitoline Venus (Aedes Veneris Capitolinae).[1] There was another temple with the same name in Rome, the Temple of Venus Erycina (Quirinal Hill).
  .svg.png.webp){kind=icon} Temple of Venus Erycina Shown within Rome | |
| Location | Regione VIII Forum Romanum |
|---|---|
| Type | Roman temple |
| History | |
| Builder | Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus |
| Founded | 215 BC |
History
The Temple of Venus Erycina on the Capitoline Hill was built by the dictator Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus. He was appointed dictator after the disastrous Battle of Trasimeno in 217 BC and promised this temple to Venus after consulting the Sibylline Books, hoping thereby to reverse his fate. The temple was inaugurated in 215 BC. Livia Orestilla had Germanicus dedicated in the temple.[2]
The temple was probably in the Area Capitolina, by the great Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus.
References
- ”Venus”, ”Encyclopaedia Britannica”, April 04, 2018
- Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum - Caligula, 7
Further reading
- Orlin, Eric. Temples, Religion, and Politics in the Roman Republic
- Gruen, Erich. Romans and Others. In Rosenstein and Morstein-Marx "A Companion to the Roman Republic" p. 466.