I was wondering where the main sanctuaries of Roman god were located around the Roman Empire. In ancient Greece some cities had a dedicated cult to a specific god or goddess, such as Athena in Athens, Apollo in Delphi, Zeus in Olympia, Artemis in Ephesus, Aphrodite at Corinth, Dionysos in Naxos, or Asclepios in Epidaurus. Obviously Rome was the centre of the Roman religion and each deity had its main temple in Rome itself. But many other cities were home to important temples. Some of them were major sanctuaries to local gods, which were Romanised after the Roman conquest.
Minor deities
Key Notes
| Deity | Domain | Primary Temple (Rome) | Other Major Locations (Empire) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | King of Gods, Sky, Thunder | Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus (Capitoline Hill) – The most important temple in the Roman world | Pompeii (Italy), Baalbek (Lebanon - Temple of Jupiter Heliopolitanus - largest Roman temple ever built), Split (Croatia - Diocletian's Palace), Capitoline Temple in Sarmizegetusa (Dacia/Romania) |
| Juno | Queen of Gods, Women, Marriage | Temple of Juno Regina (Aventine Hill) and Temple of Juno Moneta (Capitoline Hill) | Agrigento (Sicily - Temple of Juno Lacinia), Carthage (Tunisia - Temple of Juno Caelestis), Samos (Greece - Heraion), Argos (Greece) and Paestum (Campania) |
| Minerva | Wisdom, Strategy, Arts | Temple of Minerva (Aventine Hill) and Temple of Minerva Medica (Esquiline Hill) | Assisi (Italy - excellently preserved), Tebessa (Algeria), Bath (UK - Temple of Sulis Minerva), Temple of Athena in Athens. |
| Mars | War | Temple of Mars Ultor (Forum of Augustus) – Center of military cult | Mérida (Spain), Temple of Tutela/Mars in Bordeaux, Temple of Mars in Corseul (Brittany, France); Sanctuary of Mars Mullo in Allonnes (near Le Mans, France); Sanctuary of Lenus Mars in Trier (Germany) |
| Venus | Love, Beauty | Temple of Venus and Roma (Roman Forum) – Largest temple in Rome | Aphrodisias (Turkey), Baalbek (Lebanon - Temple of Venus/Bacchus), Paphos (Cyprus - Sanctuary of Aphrodite), Temple of Venus Erycina in Erice (Sicily), Temple of Venus Pompeiana (Pompeii) |
| Apollo | Sun, Music, Prophecy | Temple of Apollo Palatinus (Palatine Hill) and Temple of Apollo Sosianus | Delphi (Greece - Panhellenic sanctuary), Didyma (Turkey), Pompeii (Italy), Side (Turkey) |
| Mercury | Commerce, Travel | Temple of Mercury (Circus Maximus) – Near the trade center of the Aventine. | Temple of Mercury Dumias in Puy-de-Dôme (France - largest Gallic temple complex), Thuburbo Majus (Tunisia) |
| Diana | Hunt, Moon, Nature | Temple of Diana (Aventine Hill) – Federal sanctuary for the Latin League | Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (Turkey - one of the 7 Wonders), Sanctuary of Diana Nemorensis in Nemi (Italy), Mount Tifata (Campania), Mérida (Spain), Évora (Portugal) |
| Ceres | Agriculture, Grain | Temple of Ceres, Liber, and Libera (Aventine Hill) – Center of plebeian cults | Enna (Sicily - mythical site of Proserpina's abduction, major cult center), Sanctuary of Demeter/Ceres in Eleusis (Greece - center of Mysteries) |
| Saturn | Wealth, Time, Agriculture | Temple of Saturn (Roman Forum) – Housed the state treasury (Aerarium) | Dougga (Tunisia - major center replacing Baal Hammon) |
| Neptune | Sea, Earthquakes | Basilica of Neptune (Campus Martius) – Originally a temple-like structure. | Temple of Neptune in Poreč/Parentium (Croatia), Sanctuary of Poseidon in Isthmia, near Corinth (Greece) |
| Vulcan | Fire, Forge | Volcanal (Roman Forum) – An ancient open-air altar rather than a standard temple. | Ostia Antica (Italy - High Priest of Vulcan was a major magistrate here), Agrigento (Sicily), Temple of Hephaisteion in Athens (Greece) |
| Pluto (Dis Pater) | Underworld, the dead, subterranean wealth | No single universally accepted “main” public temple in Rome is as prominent in the sources as Saturn/Jupiter; worship is often discussed under Dis Pater/Pluto and chthonic cult contexts. | Ploutonion at Hierapolis (Turkey), Temple of Pluto at Dougga/Thugga (Tunisia), Avernus (Campania - considered a gateway/sanctuary entrance) |
Minor deities
| Deity | Rome | Italy (outside Rome) | Western Provinces | Eastern Provinces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liber (Pater) | Temple of Ceres, Liber & Libera (Aventine Hill - the "Plebeian Triad") | Temple of Liber Pater (Ostia Antica - Forum Vinarium, central cult for wine merchants) | Sanctuary of Liber Pater (Sarmizegetusa, Dacia - major regional cult); Dedications in Rhine/Danube regions | Syncretized with Dionysus (e.g., Temple of Dionysus, Teos; Sanctuary of Bacchus, Baalbek) |
| Proserpina | Shared cult in Temple of Ceres, Liber & Libera (Aventine Hill); Altar of Dis Pater & Proserpina (Tarentum/Campus Martius) | Enna (Sicily) - Mythical site of her abduction, highly venerated sanctuary | Temple of Proserpina (Mtarfa, Malta - rare dedicated temple) | Sanctuary of Pluto & Kore (Aizanoi, Turkey); Syncretized with Kore at Eleusis |
| Janus | Temple of Janus (Forum Romanum - famous doors closed in peace); Temple of Janus (Forum Holitorium - built by Duilius) | No major temples (rarely worshipped in temples outside Rome; mainly arches/gateways) | - | - |
| Luna | Temple of Luna (Aventine Hill - dedicated by Servius Tullius, destroyed in Nero's fire) | Temple of Luna (Ostia Antica); Cult often linked with Diana | - | Syncretized with Selene or local moon goddesses (e.g., Carrhae) |
| Sol (Invictus) | Temple of the Sun (Campus Agrippae - built by Aurelian, 274 CE); Temple of Sol (Circus Maximus) | Cult widespread in Mithraea (e.g., Ostia, Capua) but few dedicated public temples | Widespread altars in military forts; Mithraic temples often honored Sol | Temple of Elagabalus (Emesa, Syria - origin of Severan solar cult); Temples in Palmyra |
| Terra (Tellus) | Temple of Tellus (Esquiline Hill - built 268 BCE on site of Spurius Cassius's house) | - | Temple of Terra Mater (Rudnik, Moesia - restored by Septimius Severus) | Syncretized with Ge/Gaia |
| Vesta | Temple of Vesta (Forum Romanum - circular temple with the Sacred Fire) | Temple of Vesta (Tivoli - iconic round temple overlooking the falls) | - | - |
| Fortuna | Temple of Fortuna Virilis (Forum Boarium); Temple of Fortuna Publica (Quirinal); Three temples at Forum Holitorium | Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia (Palestrina - massive terraced complex); Temple at Antium (famous oracle) | - | - |
| Concordia | Temple of Concordia (Forum Romanum - celebrated end of plebeian-patrician conflict); Shrine in the Arx | Temple of Concordia (Agrigento, Sicily - actually a Greek temple re-identified) | Temples in Mérida and Baelo Claudia (Spain) often dedicated to Imperial Concord | - |
Key Notes
- Janus: Uniquely Roman, Janus had almost no temples outside the city of Rome. His worship centered on boundaries, gates, and the famous shrine in the Forum whose doors signaled war or peace.
- Sol Invictus: While Sol had ancient shrines, his major imperial temple was the massive complex built by Aurelian in 274 CE to unify the empire under "One God, One Empire, One Emperor".
- Proserpina: Rarely had her own independent temples; she was almost always worshipped with her mother (Ceres) or husband (Dis/Pluto). The temple in Malta is a rare exception.
- Concordia: Her main temple in the Roman Forum was a political museum, often used for Senate meetings (Cicero delivered his Catilininarians there). In Agrigento, the so-called "Temple of Concordia" is a misnomer—it’s a Greek temple whose dedication is unknown, named after a nearby Latin inscription.
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