Temple of Jupiter Stator, Roman temple at the foot of Palatine Hill, Italy
The Temple of Jupiter Stator was a Roman sanctuary featuring six columns on the short sides and eleven on the long sides, standing near the Sacred Way. Its ruins lie beneath the Church of Santa Maria in Campitelli and have been partially documented through archaeological excavation.
Its founding is attributed to the time of Romulus and the Sabine wars in the 8th century BC, when a crucial victory was credited to divine intervention. The temple remained a gathering place for Senate meetings and a religious and political center throughout the Republic.
The Senate gathered here to conduct important political debates, making it a center of power during the Roman Republic. These assemblies showed how closely religion and government were woven together in Roman life.
The site is difficult to visit today since the remains lie beneath a modern church and are not freely accessible to the public. Those interested in learning more can consult local archaeology resources or nearby museums that document the excavations and findings.
The temple's decoration included motifs of a lizard and a frog, leading to a story about two named architects from Sparta. These unusual representations remain puzzling and have sparked scholarly curiosity across the centuries.
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