Der Tempel des Apollo in circo in Rom und seine Bauherren

Abstract

The new construction of the temple of Apollo in circo of ca. 30 B.C. has been the subject of intensive archaeological investigation, whereas the historical attribution of the building and its construction phases to specific political initiators remains an open question. The following contribution is based on the general building practice of the Roman Republic and Octavian’s building policy at the beginning of the principate. According to general practice, the task of rebuilding the temple must have first taken over and begun by Octavian. After his victory at Actium, with his new strategy of integration, he entrusted the continuation and completion to C. Sosius, who, after his change of allegiance from Antony to Octavian, could testify to the universal approval of the new ruler. From the two phases of foundations it becomes clear that Octavian initially planned a building of programmatic simplicity, while Sosius completed the temple in an incomparably richer form for the glory of Octavian-Augustus.