- Temple of Bacchus
The Temple of Bacchus was one of the three main
temple s at a largetemple complex inClassical Antiquity , atBaalbek inLebanon . The temple was dedicated to Bacchus (also known asDionysus ), the Roman god of wine, but was traditionally referred to by Neoclassical visitors as the "Temple of the Sun". It is considered one of the best preserved Roman temples in the worldThe temple was commissioned by
Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and designed by an unknown architect circa150 A.D. , and built close to the courtyard in front of the larger temple of Jupiter-Baal. When the site fell into disrepair, the Temple of Bacchus was protected by rubble of the site's ruins. The temple is 69 m long by 36 m broad. Its walls are adorned by forty-two unfluted Corinthiancolumn s, nineteen of which remain upright in position standing 19 m high. The columns support a richly carvedentablature . Inside, thecella is decorated with Corinthianhalf-column s flanking two levels of niches on each side, containing scenes from the birth and life of Bacchus. Theadyton (inner shrine) stands above a flight of steps.References
* [http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Temple_of_Bacchus.html Temple of Bacchus]
* [http://www.clas.canterbury.ac.nz/nzact/bacchus.htm Temple of Bacchus]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.