Foro Boario - The Mistaken Temples - 2 (The Rectangular Temple)

Just a few meters from the Round Temple in the direction of the Campidoglio hill, there is another temple in very good conditions, with a more "classical" rectangular shape, more similar to the standard Greek temple. Just like its Round neighbour, the Rectangular Temple has been mistaken over the centuries for a different temple, namely the Temple of Viril Fortune. The reason that impeded further investigation was that the Temple has been used as a church (Santa Maria Egiziaca, where the Armenian community used to gather) but then it was closed in the 30s, and transformed again into an archaelogical site. 

Further excavations and the removal of many frescoes and other Christian decorations showed that this temple was dedicated to Portunus, a minor God who protected the workers of the local harbour on the river, which was a bustling spot where all the merchandise coming from all over the Mediterranean came ashore to be sold in the markets of the City. Evidence of this incredibly ancient trade are fragments of jars from Asia and Africa, the oldest of which date back to the 10th or 11th century B.C. (!) over 3 centuries before the foundation of Rome. 

Foro Boario - The Mistaken Temples - 1 (The Round Temple)

On the left bank of the Tiber, in the low area between the area occupied by the Circus Maximus and the river itself, designated since the most ancient times as "Velabrum"(I will write a dedicated post about this area) in the part closest to the river bank, there are 2 temples in very good conditions, one of round shape, the other of rectangular shape, forming the so called "Foro Boario" (Translates roughly as "Cattle Market"); from relics found in the area it appeared that such trade was carried out there even before the foundation of Rome. 

What these two buildings have in common, beside the surprising good conditions, is that both of them have been mistaken for centuries, for other buildings, and only in more recent times the researchers found proof of the actual history and purpose of these 2 temples. 

The Round Temple, right opposite of the ancient basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a structure with columns made of Greek (slightly pinkish) and Italian (white) marble, until 20th Century was thought to be dedicated to the Roman Goddess Vesta, protector of Households, who was always worshipped in round temples, with in its center a sacred fire, taken care of by virgin priestesses (Vestales) who were among the most respected women in Rome and who could not marry before the age of 40, when their service ended, but who risked death by being buried alive if they let the sacred fire go off.  

Only at the end of 20th century, further excavation unveiled documents that showed that the temple was actually dedicated to Hercules, and was called "Great Altar of Hercules the Victor" even if the actual altar is now situated in the basement of the Basilica of S. M. in Cosmedin, right across the street.