CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Roman Cult Sites:
A Pragmatic Approach
Ulrike Egelhaaf-Gaiser
Subject Matter and Disposition
This chapter deals with the structure, function, and perception of Roman cult sites
and their integration into a profane environment, as well as several forms of reli-
gious architecture and monumentalization. The focus will be on the pragmatics of
cult sites and cult images, in both an everyday environment and the celebration of
rituals. The systematic introduction in the first four sections will concentrate on Italian
precincts and those in the city of Rome dating from the late republic to the middle
imperial period (second century bcto second centuryad), which are exceptionally
well documented. To verify our findings, we shall then look at three specific examples:
the extra-urban grove of Anna Perenna, the monumental temple of Apollo on
the Palatine, and the Fortuna Augusta temple near the forum in Pompeii. These
were chosen because of their diversity of shape and spatial structure, but they are
comparable in terms of their common Augustan background. There are several argu-
ments in favor of this very narrow time window: it is a period of political upheaval,
and its far-reaching political change from the republic to the principate had an impact
on all spheres of life. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that upon closer inspection,
the Augustan “cultic restoration” turns out to be a highly innovative reform pro-
gram. Since the religious landscape of the Augustan age is very well known, thanks
to the wealth of information available, the evaluation and classification of the indi-
vidual examples within their contemporary context are eased considerably.
Basic Concepts
The concept of “cult site” includes any space that has been designated for worship.
Roman antiquarian literature distinguishes between templumand aedes sacra(Fridh