Temple of Portunus

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Temple of Portunus

The result of penitence

Piazza della Bocca della Verità
Rome, Rome 00186

This temple was mistakenly known as the Tempio della Fortuna Virile, but has now been identified as the Temple of Portunus, god of the river port, once located near the Emilio bridge. The importance of this well-preserved temple (perhaps because of its small dimensions) is due to its very rare Greco-Italic architecture and its age. In fact it dates back to the second half of the 2nd century BC and was renovated during the following century. It is rectangular in shape, and is built of tufa and travertine stone. It has four frontal columns, and has semicolumns built into the walls on the sides and back. The temple became a church in AD 872 and was named after Maria Egipciaca, a loose woman from Alexandria who was converted and spent the rest of her life in penitence in the desert.

Review © 2009, Wcities

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