ARCADE OF THE TEMPLE OF JUPITER ANXUR

Terracina c. 80 B.C.

The arch is the central revolutionary concept of Roman architecture. With its development the Romans bypass the earlier building concept of verticals and horizontals, support and load. The arch makes possible a new idea of space. It becomes the basis of Roman monumentality. Above these powerful supporting arches is a terrace which held the Temple of Jupiter Anxur. The arches are constructed of opus incertum, concrete faced with irregular-shaped stones.

The four-faced Arch

It was the monumental entrance to the Forum from the East side. The medieval structures, which had been built all around it, fell down during the bombing of the town in 1943 and so the arc came out in its original form. Originally it had four large achways layng on a square base overhanging the Via Appia whose paving blocks on still visible. A similar arch was situated on the west side of the Forum; later the medieval Palazzo Vinditti took its place.

The Emilian Forum

Without doubt it is a particular monument as it keeps still today not only the ancient limestone paving as well as the original function of civil and religious centre of the town. Its name comes from Aulus Aemilius, the local magistrate who, between the end of the 1st century B.C. and the beginning of the 1st centure A.D., ordered to pave the square and to engrave his own name on the stone blocks.

The Via Appia...

...bordered on the North side of the Emilian Forum; the stone paving and the ancient side-walk if the road are completely well preserved; there is a limestone ditch for the drainage underneath this sidewalk. Besides, a series of small pillars, whose bases are the only remains, divided the road from the area of the Forum.

The portico and the theatre

The remains of a portico with a floor and some marble columns, which could be reached from the Via Appia, through three steps, came to light in 1943-44 during the bombing. A Roman theatre has been located on its back; today the theatre, whose entrance (aditus) on the east side is visible, is interred. New excavations, started a short time ago, are giving good results.

The Major Temple

We do not know the guardian deity of this temple which became part of the Cathedral during the middle Ages. It preserves the high podium, built opus quadratum, having the favissae which have been changed into shops as well as a portion of the external walls of the cella; these walls have particular features thanks to the former marble slabs used for its covering, its fluted half-columns and a carved frieze with a scroll-shaped form

The Capitolium

According to some scholars the building (it dates back about 50 B.C.) should be identified with the temple dedicated to the capitoline triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva). Originally it was decorated along its front side with four columns of Tuscan-Doric style; it had three cellas of tufa and limestone reticulate only partially remained, under which are visible the so called favissae, that is the rooms where the votive donations were kept.