Topic: Temple Of Fortuna Virilis

Type of paper:	Essay
Subject area:	Architecture
Academic level:	College
Style:	MLA
Size:	576.5 kB
Word count:	1104
Mark awarded:
Date submitted:	2010-01-06 05:00:18
Rating/Votes count:	n/a

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Tags:

temple, rome, ancient, English, Germany, Roman, Roman Empire, Roman Republic, Pantheon, Roman Architecture, Colloseum, Temple Fortuna Virilis, Temple Fortuna Virilus, Temple Fortuna, Republican Roman

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10 October 2008
Temple of Fortuna Virilis
The Temple of Fortuna Virilis is one of the historical and religious
marvels of the Roman Architecture . It was initially built during the 4th
century but was reconstructed around the late 2nd century BC during the
Republican Era in Rome , Italy . It is specifically located at the
``PiazzaT della Bocca della Verita ' wherein at the north side of it is
where ``Casa dei Crescenzi ' is located which is a mansion made out of
Roman spoils in 1100 AD . On the southern side of the temple is the
Temple of Hercules Victor or Temple of Vesta that was constructed in the
2nd century and turned into a church during the 12th century (Webb 78 .
The name of the temple had been recently changed to Temple of Portunus
which translates to ``god of ports ' in honor of the Roman god , Portunus (Italyguides .it . More so , this title is an ``an ancient tutelary deity
of rivers and harbours (LivinginRome .com . Furthermore , this temple is
located around the Tiber banks which was built for the gods of seaports
and rivers . According to mythology , Portunus possessed the power to
shield doors . However , when the connotation of the word ``portus '
changed into harbor , the function of the Roman god also changed into
being a guardian of the harbors (Sullivan .
Historically , this architecture was intended to give reverence to
Portunus because he was considered as the ``god of keys and doors and
livestock ' who has the ability to protect storage houses of grains
which was a very valuable asset back then . Because of the different
associations linked to Portus ' name whether it was positive or negative ,
he was seen as a god who could inflict good fortune or tremendous
mishaps . As a result , the Romans erected this temple in order to obtain
all the good things Portunus has to offer and prevent his wrath on them
and their town . More so , every 17th of August , Portunus is commemorated
wherein keys are melancholically and at the same time devoutly thrown
into the fire to attract pleasant vibes (Nationmaster .com . By 872 , the
temple was transformed into a pagan temple . Then , after centuries later
in the 1800s it housed a Christian church named the Chiesa di S .Maria
Egiziaca which was for a saint who was a former prostitute that
converted to Christianity . Prior to this , there was huge dispute on whom
the church will be dedicated . Because of this , two names emerged which
were ``Santa Maria Secundicerri and Santa Maria in Gradellis ' that were
both given by scholars from ``a 12th century list of ecclesiastical
foundations in the city of Rome ' In 1560 , Pope Pius IV proposed to
give the temple as a gift to the Armenians when Saphar Abgaro who was
the ambassador of the King of Armenia visited Rome . Eleven years later ,
the church was formally received by the Armenians and was presented by
Pope Pius V . Moreover , the temple experienced another restoration in the
18th...

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