TEMPLE OF CASTOR AND POLLUX

Temple of Castor and Pollux - click to enlarge

The temple of Castor and Pollux stands on a high podium, of which there is preserved the filling part in cementitious material, while the facing blocks of tuff and marble, in the course of the centuries, were taken and re-used; among the others one of the blocks of marble it was converted by Michelangelo into the base of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in the Campidoglio square.

The temple has been restored several times, the last renovation, after the fire of 12 AD, was committed by the emperor Tiberius, of the Tiberian restoration survive the three Corinthian columns, supporting a piece of the trabeation, of which is well-preserved part of the frame and the roof drips.
The temple sometimes was used as the seat of the Senate, as the seat of the courts of justice and in some rooms were preserved the official weights and measures of the Roman state.

Temple of Castor and Pollux, Corinthian columns and trabeation - click to enlarge

The worship of Castor and Pollux, the twins also known as the Dioscuri, was introduced in Rome in the fifth century. According to the myth the Dioscuri had led the Romans to victory in the battle against Latinos, famous in antiquity, fought near the lake Regillo.

Next to the temple is the Juturna Source where the legend said that the Dioscuri watered their horses. As a reminder of this episode was built the fountain with a central base that supported the statues of Castor and Pollux with their horses (today preserved in the Temple of Romulus).
About the fountain today we see in the basin an altar where are depicted the Dioscuri.

To the Dioscuri were dedicated famous statues such as those we see today on Capitol Hill and in the Quirinale square.

Dioscuri statues at Quirinale square - click to enlarge

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