Temple of Vespasian, Pompei

The Temple of Vespasian is a small ancient Roman temple in Pompeii, located on the east side of the Forum, between the Eumachia Building and the Sanctuary of the Public Lares. It has an irregular, almost flattened plan due to the limited space available. The shrine was dedicated to the Imperial Cult, widely practiced in Rome. The time of its construction is uncertain.

Some archaeologists believe it was built after the death of Emperor Augustus and on land owned by him. This theory is supported by the temple’s alternative Latin name, “Shrine of the Genius of Augustus.” They believe the building was significantly damaged in the 62 AD earthquake and had to be modified, including its façade. Supporting this theory are the contrasting brickwork, the difference in height between the temple and the neighbouring Eumachia Building, and its placement — slightly forward — which interrupts the colonnade of the Forum.

Others date the temple to the era of Vespasian, who was reigning during its construction, although the building was still unfinished when the eruption took place. Evidence for this interpretation includes the bas-relief on the altar, which depicts a formal bull sacrifice. Because a bull was the standard sacrifice offered to a living emperor’s protective spirit, scholars argue that it honours a living ruler. Some researchers, however, believe that the temple was originally dedicated to Augustus and then successively rededicated to later emperors, ultimately including Vespasian.

The front entrance porch, or vestibule, faces the Forum and is decorated with four columns. Passing through this entrance, you step down into an open courtyard whose perimeter walls are made of tuff, while brickwork is used for the structural pillars. It appears that the floor, which must have been marble, was still absent at the time of the eruption, as suggested by the ditch in the tuff used for collecting rainwater. At the back of the courtyard stands the inner shrine, raised on a high podium. Two lateral staircases lead up to this podium, and inside its central brickwork niche is the space intended to hold a grand statue of the emperor.

At the centre of the court is a white marble altar decorated with a wreath of oak leaves resting on a shield and two laurel shrubs. Also depicted here are sacrificial items, including a ceremonial J-shaped wooden staff and an incense box, beneath festoons of fruit and flowers.