A B C D E F L M P R S T
Ae Ar At
Aedes C Aedes I Aedes S Aedes V

Aedes Vestae

Aedes Vestae-01

Sources
LTUR 153

Timeline

  • Regal Period: Temple is built
  • 241 BCE: Temple burns
  • 210 BCE: Temple is further damaged by a fire
  • Late 3rd/early 2nd century: Temple is restored
  • 1st century BCE: The top of the temple is rebuilt
  • 64 CE: Temple burns
  • 191 CE: Temple is burned by another fire, though many elements seem to have survived based on reliefs and fragments of panels from Trajan’s time.

Physical evidence

  • Eastern end of Roman forum.
  • Circular form
  • Ionic order (under Trajan and in 1st c. BCE)
  • Remains of a podium of Aniene tuda (1.5m tall, perhaps)
  • Consistent shape and location over all time periods. Height modified (increased in 1st c. BCE and under Trajan), as shown by elevation of podium.

Literary sources

  • Dion. Hal. 2.64.5-66, 6.13
  • Fest. 320 L
  • Hor. sat. 1.9.1-43
  • Liv. perioch. 19
  • Ov. Fas. 6.297 (suggesting the shape was based on that of 8th-7th c. BCE huts)
  • Mart. 1.70.3-4
  • Plut. Numa 2