The temple of Vediovis on the Capitoline Hill was dedicated on March 7, 192 BC, by the duumvir Quintus Marcius Ralla. Its construction, however, was due to the efforts of Lucius Furius Purpurio. Furius vowed to build the temple in 196 BC during a campaign in which he and his consular colleague routed the Boii Gauls.
The Temple
The temple is built inter duos lucos at the approach from the Forum. The temple’s proportions are unusual for Rome, the cella being almost twice as wide as it is deep (15 by 9 meters). The pronaos has four pillars with steps in front leading up to it. The interior is decorated with travertine marble. The outside area around the temple is paved in travertine marble.
Next to the temple of Vediovis on its western side is the Asylum, the ancient enclosure built by Romulus. On the eastern side is the Tabularium with its southwestern corner indented and built around the sacred area of the temple.
Religious Festivals
There are three days dedicated to Vediovis in the religious calendar. All are festivals with fixed dates, i.e., feriae stativae.
- Kalendis Ianuariis, the dies natalis for the temple of Vediovis on the Tiber island, 194 BC.
- Nonis Martiis [March 7], the dies natalis for the temple of Vediovis on the Capitol, 192 BC.
- a.d. XII Kalendis Iunias [May 21], the Agonium Veiovi celebrated with the sacrifice of a ram by the rex sacrificulus at the Regia.
Coin depicting Apollo (obverse) and Numa Pompilius sacrificing a goat (reverse)
The Agonalia
This festival dates from ancient times and was said to have been inaugurated by Numa Pompilius. The Agonalia is celebrated several times a year (January 9, March 17, May 21, and possibly December 11) with the sacrifice of a ram in the Regia. The gods honored by this festival are Janus, Mars, and Vediovis for their roles in protecting the city of Rome.
Ovid believes that the name comes from the sacrifice of a ram: “In the ancient tongue, too, agonia meant a sheep, and that last, in my judgement, is the true reason of the name. And though that is not certain, still the King of the Sacred Rites is bound to placate the divinities by sacrificing the mate of a woolly ewe” (Fasti I: 317).
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Historical Notes: The temple of Vediovis was lost until 1939, when it was uncovered during excavation beneath the Piazza del Campidoglio. The temple and the Tabularium are both underneath the present day Palazzo Senatorio. The temple is preserved and accessible in an underground portion of the Capitoline Museum.
Domitian restored the temple to repair damage suffered during fighting on the Capitol in 69 BC. Colored marble was used to overlay the cella and floor. The statue, believed to be of Vediovis, is heavily damaged. It does however indicate a young, vigorous god in the style of Apollo.
M.∙FURIUS∙FECIT∙SIBI∙ET∙SUIS∙
HIC∙LOCUS∙HOC∙AEDES∙SACRUM∙
VEDIOVIS∙PATER∙
ORBAE∙ANTICAE∙ANNUS∙∞∞VII
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M. FURIUS BUILT THIS FOR HIMSELF AND HIS KIN
IN THIS PLACE THIS TEMPLE SACRED TO
VEDIOVIS PATER
Sources:
Descriptions of Temple of Veiovis and Tabularium from the Capitoline Museum, Comune di Roma.
The construction and dedication of the two temples to Vediovis is discussed in Eric M. Orlin, Temples, Religion, and Politics in the Roman Republic, Boston: Brill Academic Publishers (2002), pp. 174, 184-5. Orlin notes: “The decision not to have Purpurio dedicate these temples is undoubtedly related to the controversy which surrounded Purpurio’s request to celebrate a triumph, even though he was only a praetor. The request was eventually granted, partly because the consul Aurelius, who was technically Purpurio’s superior and who found his chance for military glory preempted by the actions of Purpurio, had not yet returned to Rome. This was a precedent-setting event; Purpurio was the first praetor to celebrate a triumph, and that fact undoubtedly stirred up jealousy and hostility on the part of many senators in addition to Aurelius.”
Entry on the Agonalia from A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, William Smith, London: John Murray (1875), at Bill Thayer’s Lacus Curtius website.
Entries from the Roman religious calendar at Nova Roma.
Entries from the Roman calendar at Gens Temple.
Image Sources:
Drawing of temple in ancient Roman style from Zanker.
Line drawing of Temple of Vediovis from Capitoline Museum, Comune di Roma.
Detail from a map of Rome at Wikipedia Commons media files.
Denarius issued c. 97 BC by L. Pomponius Molo from Barbara McManus images at the VRoma Project; in the collection of the Pergamon Museum, Berlin.
Statue from the temple of Vediovis from Capitoline Museum, Comune di Roma.
Table background from Eos Development.
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The Temple of Vediovis
Interview with a God (8 posts)
Agonium Veiovi (* Lucius Purpureo Furius, May 17, 2008 - 11:19 )
