1983; Lefèvre 1989; Wiseman 1994; Balensiefen 2002). The primary reason for this
is the outstanding political significance of the site: vowed by Augustus after the
successful naval battle of Naulochos against Sextus Pompeius in 36 bc, the temple
was then dedicated in 28 bcas a victory monument three years after the naval
battle at Actium, which had foreshadowed the outcome of the civil war against Marc
Anthony.
The cult precinct (fig. 15.1) is instructive in that it combines religious, political,
and cultural functions as well as several architectural elements and options of the
visual vocabulary into a new and highly complex architectural ensemble. Placing it
on the southern slope of the Palatine established a symbolic historical connection
between the new temple and the old Roman memorial sites nearby (the Hut of
Romulus, the Scalae Caci). As a triumphal site blending religious functions with the
proud display of looted art, the Apollo sanctuary harks back to the temple dedica-
tions of the second century bc on the Field of Mars, with which the Roman
commanders used to commemorate their victories in the east. The spatial connec-
tion (R, r) between Augustus’ private residence, the adjoining temple of Apollo, and
a public library was borrowed from Hellenistic palace architecture (Pergamum,
Alexandria); in this, too, Augustus was preceded by the members of the late repub-
lican elite (Lucullus, Pompeius, Caesar), who pursued the sacralization of their
private homes as part of their political rivalry. With its imposing facade, the upper
and lower levels separated visually and by function but joined by the monumental
temple staircase, the Palatine precinct followed the tradition of the terraced sanctu-
aries of the republican era.
On the lower level, the peristyle was connected at its western side (D) to the house
of Augustus, with representative dining room and private library (Balensiefen 2002:
112–16). Next to the eastern peristyle (D’) stood the public library (C) with separ-
ate reading rooms for Greek and Roman literature, which were also used for meet-
ings of the senate and poetry recitals. The fact that the different components of the
private, public, and religious architecture were perceived by the contemporary
viewer as the mark of an intentional hierarchy is documented by the Augustan poet
Propertius, who describes the Apollo sanctuary through the eyes of a visitor ascend-
ing the temple stairs (Propertius 2.31). The formal occasion for the poem was the
completion of the lavish south portico (F), by which the lower terrace was brought
to a close, a number of years after the dedication of the temple (Balensiefen 1995).
Built from precious variegated marble in yellow, red, and black, the two-storey hall
served as a museum-style colonnade. The top level, supported by the water-carrying
Danaids, now offered an unimpeded view of the front of the marble temple (A)
opposite, with the quadrigaof Sol as its crowning embellishment on top of the roof.
Also visible from above were the figurative images on the ebony doors, which would
have been hidden from the view from below by the high temple podium – if the
staircase was barricaded, as was indeed the custom in many places. Presumably in
the center of the lower level (E), amid famous depictions of animals by the Greek
sculptor Myron, a colossal statue of the victorious Apollo Actius stood in the pose
of a cithara-player pouring an offering from a sacrificial cup. In the cella, though,
the lyre-playing Apollo was worshiped in conjunction with his sister Diana and his
Roman Cult Sites 215