Temple of Antas
Encyclopedia
The Temple of Antas is an ancient Carthaginian-Roman
temple in the commune of Fluminimaggiore
, southern Sardinia
, Italy
. It is located in an area colonized by the Carthaginians and then by the Romans, attracted by its iron and lead deposits.
It consists of a Roman temple, under whose steps are the remains of the Carthaginian one, which was dedicated to the god Sid Addir, a later incarnation of the local god Sardus Pater Babai
, the main male divinity of the Nuragic civilization
.
The original temple had been built around 500 BC over a sacred limestone outcrop
, and restored around 300 BC. The Roman temple was built by emperor Augustus
(27 BC - 14 AD) and restored under Caracalla
(213-217 AD). Its remains were discovered in 1836 by general Alberto La Marmora, and rebuilt to the current status in 1967.
The fore section of the temple includes six columns, with a height of some 8 meters, with Ionic capitals. Originally a triangular pediment
was also present. The cella
was accessed through two side openings and had a mosaic-covered pavement, part of which has been preserved. The temple was provided with two square reservoirs, which housed the water for the sacred rites of purification.
It is likely that a statue of the Sardus Pater was housed in the cella. According to the size of the only remain found, a finger, it has been estimated that it was some 3 meters high.
The archaeological area of temple includes a small necropolis
, remains of an ancient Nuragic village (13th-10th centuries BC), Roman quarries of limestone and an ancient path connecting the temple to a sacred cave where the water cult was practiced.
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
temple in the commune of Fluminimaggiore
Fluminimaggiore
Fluminimaggiore is a comune in the Province of Carbonia-Iglesias in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 60 km northwest of Cagliari and about 30 km north of Carbonia....
, southern Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is located in an area colonized by the Carthaginians and then by the Romans, attracted by its iron and lead deposits.
It consists of a Roman temple, under whose steps are the remains of the Carthaginian one, which was dedicated to the god Sid Addir, a later incarnation of the local god Sardus Pater Babai
Sardus
Sardus was an ancient mythological hero of the nuragic mythology. Sardus appears in the writings of Sallust and Pausanias.-Ancient sources:...
, the main male divinity of the Nuragic civilization
Nuragic civilization
The Nuragic civilization was a civilization of Sardinia, lasting from the Bronze Age to the 2nd century AD. The name derives from its most characteristic monuments, the nuraghe. They consist of tower-fortresses, built starting from about 1800 BC...
.
The original temple had been built around 500 BC over a sacred limestone outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
, and restored around 300 BC. The Roman temple was built by emperor Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
(27 BC - 14 AD) and restored under Caracalla
Caracalla
Caracalla , was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. The eldest son of Septimius Severus, he ruled jointly with his younger brother Geta until he murdered the latter in 211...
(213-217 AD). Its remains were discovered in 1836 by general Alberto La Marmora, and rebuilt to the current status in 1967.
The fore section of the temple includes six columns, with a height of some 8 meters, with Ionic capitals. Originally a triangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
was also present. The cella
Cella
A cella or naos , is the inner chamber of a temple in classical architecture, or a shop facing the street in domestic Roman architecture...
was accessed through two side openings and had a mosaic-covered pavement, part of which has been preserved. The temple was provided with two square reservoirs, which housed the water for the sacred rites of purification.
It is likely that a statue of the Sardus Pater was housed in the cella. According to the size of the only remain found, a finger, it has been estimated that it was some 3 meters high.
The archaeological area of temple includes a small necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
, remains of an ancient Nuragic village (13th-10th centuries BC), Roman quarries of limestone and an ancient path connecting the temple to a sacred cave where the water cult was practiced.