Templum Pacis

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The Temple of Peace, also known as the Templum Pacis or the Forum of Vespasian, was built in 71 C.E. Construction on the building began a few years after the emperor Vespasian came to imperial power following the end of Nero’s reign. It was built to celebrate the end of the Jewish War and the complete destruction of Jerusalem. It was placed in the heart of the city and was considered to be the “Heart of Roman Power” (Pollard, 314). The Temple of Peace contained a large library and held all of Vespasian’s treasures from prior conquests and famous works of art. A century later, the temple burned down, but was shortly rebuilt after. The Severan marble map helped with reconstruction by giving a diagram of the content and layout of the architecture.…show more content…
According to author Carlos Norena, the building played a role in the urban administration of the city. Also, The Templum Pacis came to be like a private bank where citizens could keep their deposits protected. Beyond these serviceable uses, the Templum Pacis was a place for leisure and to engage with culture, art, and peace. What was most interesting about the structures Vespasian built was how he used them to emphasize both the similarities and differences between himself and previous emperors, such as Augustus. Vespasian decided to destroy Nero’s structure, the Domus Aurea, which was Nero’s own private imperial house for artwork, to construct the Flavian Amphitheater on the new site (Pollard, 28). By transforming previous imperial land to new public land, Vespasian was symbolically connecting himself to Augustus, the “good” and giving emperor, whereas Nero symbolized the “bad” emperor. The monument also had a dedication to Pax, the goddess during the rule of Augustus, and the Pax Romana, the era of peace that Augustus brought in the first dynasty. By dedicating a monument to the goddess during Augustus’ rule, it was a reminder to the people of the era of peace that Augustus led. Accordingly, the Flavian Temple was directly facing the Forum of Augustus. Because of the monument’s location and theme, it is clear that Vespasian wanted to connect himself to Augustus, the model of a good emperor, and the Pax
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