New information about the Great Temple of Anazarbus (Cilicia) brought by an unpublished monetary issue
New information about the Great Temple of Anazarbus (Cilicia) brought by an unpublished monetary issue

Summary/Abstract: The temple, with its facade guarded by ten columns (decastyle) from Anazarbus (Cilicia) – currently Anavarza (Turkey), was one of the largest constructions of the Roman era. Its dimensions were close to those of the temple dedicated to the goddesses Venus and Rome, designed and built by Emperor Hadrian; it is the largest religious building in the capital of the Roman Empire. Now, the monumental edifice at Anazarbus, one of the very few temples of antiquity with a facade guarded by ten columns, is practically unknown. The existence of this temple is documented only by a few field observations (made more than seven decades ago by British archaeologist Michael Gough) and the monetary issues of this city. This presentation brings into discussion a coin, from an unpublished issue for Emperor Hadrian, of the city of Anazarbus. Th is coin provides new information both about the monetary activity carried out on behalf of the city of Anazarbus and about the time of construction and the role of the great temple here. And this time numismatics comes to cover the information gap caused by the destruction of a monument of antiquity and/or the absence of systematic archaeological excavations. Moreover, the corroboration of the numismatic data with the old archaeological records, and with the satellite images allowed us both to identify the location of the monument and to obtain additional information regarding its probable dimensions. Th e aerial perspective also gives an idea of the grandeur and the place occupied by the edifice in the assembly of the ancient city. At the same time, bringing up the great temple at Anazarbus offers the opportunity for modest reflections on the Hellenistic “Renaissance” initiated by Emperor Hadrian within the Roman Empire.

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