Temple of Diana, Roman temple on Aventine Hill, Rome, Italy
The Temple of Diana on Aventine Hill is an ancient Roman sanctuary with eight columns at the front and two rows of columns along its sides, following the same architectural style as the famous sanctuary of Artemis in Ephesus. Today, only fragments of the original structure remain, built into the walls of a restaurant situated on the hilltop.
King Servius Tullius founded this sanctuary in the 6th century BCE to serve as a unifying center for the Latin League, replacing an earlier shrine dedicated to the goddess in Aricia. The construction marked an important step in establishing political cooperation among neighboring Latin communities.
The temple served as a gathering place where representatives of Latin cities met to handle shared matters. Sacred records and agreements were stored here, making it a center for political unity among neighboring communities.
The remains are difficult to spot since they are built into a restaurant's walls and dining room on the hilltop. Visit during daytime to get a better look at the fragments from outside and appreciate the setting in relation to the surroundings.
A rare artifact was a bronze pillar that displayed the Icilian Law from the 5th century BCE, which governed how private land on the Aventine could be distributed. This monument reveals how laws and land reforms were directly tied to religious sites in ancient Rome.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
