The Roman Temple at Córdoba

Even though Córdoba was the capital of the huge region the Romans called Baetica, remains outside of museums are somewhat sparse – but keep showing up as inhabitants excavate foundations for modern structures. The grand racecourse (circus) was long buried under a lovely colonnaded plaza.  Recent excavations have found more traces of the Romans including the third largest amphitheater in the empire. (It could hold 30,000 and several gladiator tombstones have been recovered so far.) In the 1950s, a city hall expansion uncovered these now partially reconstructed ruins of a late 1st century CE Imperial temple. Its function was to deify the Flavium dynasty emperors that included Titus, Domitian, and Vespasian. Their enemies rewrote history to the dynasty’s disadvantage as well, but modern scholarship has been somewhat kinder.

A sign on site (above) shows what these now-roofless Corinthian columns looked like as they rose from the terrace of the forum whose colonnades edged three sides. (The fourth side was open and led to the Circus.) The square at right was an altar, probably a good idea here where the smoke from the burned animals wouldn’t despoil the white marble. Loose pieces have been moved to Cordoba’s excellent archaeological museum.

The quality of both the marble and the workmanship suggest that this was one of the most beautiful temples in the empire. The elevated platform, supported by the rare use of subterranean buttresses called anterides, raised the temple high enough to be seen from the Roman road leading into Córdoba – and reminded visitors long before they entered the city that their emperor was a god.

The Flavium dynasty ended in the year 96 CE with the assassination of Domitian. Architecture may not be that good of a defense, but political power has been trying to get its images onto religious buildings ever since.

Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long

And now for something completely different, the modern Ayuntamiento (city hall) of Córdoba.

If they hadn’t built this, Córdobans would probably have not unearthed the Roman Temple next door.  Other than that, what can we say?

Perhaps the 3rd floor pays homage to the galleries those Andalusian Renaissance architects placed atop their secular palaces. But in general, we’re happy to see Córdoba stay medieval -- if this is the alternative. Please don't tell Prince Charles.

Join us now while we visit a place not as old as the Roman temple but much older than this city hall. It's perhaps Cordoba's largest private palace. Please click here.

Please join us in the following slide show to give Córdoba the viewing it deserves by clicking here.

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