- Ingrid Edlund-Berry –
In his survey of different types of temples, Vitruvius describes those that are built of
wood rather than stone as “straddling, top-heavy, low, and broad” (3.3.5) and as having
the gables decorated with statues of terracotta or gilt bronze in the Etruscan-inspired
fashion (“tuscanico more”). As examples of such temples in Rome, he includes the temple
of Ceres at Circus Maximus, Pompey’s temple of Hercules, and the Capitoline temple
(Figure 35.1), all of which one assumes he would have examined fi rsthand. Of the temples
mentioned, only the temple of Hercules was recent, whereas the construction of the other
two dates back to the monarchy and early Roman Republic, and Vitruvius may here
imply that the temples he saw looked old-fashioned, although in the original form the
sculptures would have been placed on the roof rather than in the pediment.^4
Vitruvius further uses the same adjective, “tuscanicus,” in describing the plan and
proportions of a temple style which follows his analysis of the familiar Doric, Ionic,
and Corinthian types (4.6.6–4.7.5). According to the “Etruscan-inspired design” (4.6.6
de tuscanicis dispositionibus), such a temple should have set proportions with six parts in
length and fi ve parts in width; the length of the temple building should be divided
into a front porch with columns, and a rear part with three rooms, of which the center
one was wider than the other two (Figure 35.2). The columns should be aligned with
the temple walls, and have a fi xed ratio of height and diameter in proportion to the
base, the shaft, and the capital. The arrangement of columns in the “Etruscan-inspired
type” (4.8.5 “tuscanicum genus”) of architecture could appear by itself or be combined with
Greek types, whether Corinthian or Ionic.^5
Understandably, Vitruvius’ authoritative analysis of architectural styles became
regarded as the norm for architectural principles, and editions of his text as well as
separate treatises were published with drawings and reconstructions by famous artists
and architects who interpreted his text and applied his principles to Renaissance and
Figure 35.1 The Capitoline temple in Rome (Rome, Musei Capitolini.
Archivio Fotografi co dei Musei Capitolini).