Maison Carrée: A Masterpiece of Roman Temple Architecture
Maison Carrée: A Study in Roman Temple Design
General Information
Architect: Unknown / Date: 16-4 BC / Material: Marble
Formal Analysis
Brief Description
The Maison Carrée is a rectangular temple elevated on a high podium.
Supporting Elements
The cell walls and Corinthian order columns provide support. The columns are attached to the wall, featuring fluted shafts and capitals adorned with acanthus leaves.
Elements Supported
The temple features an architrave system with an entablature. The frieze is a plain band decorated with vegetal elements, and the cornice protrudes. A gabled roof with a characteristic triangular pediment tops the structure.
Interior Space
The interior is rectangular with a single cell and no opistòdom. The cell occupies nearly the entire width, preceded by a deep portico.
Exterior Space
The temple sits on a high podium, accessible only via a grand staircase at the central part of the front facade. This accentuates the temple’s verticality and frontal orientation, designed to be viewed primarily from the front. It is a pseudoperipteral temple, as the side columns are attached to the walls.
Relationship with the Environment
The temple occupies a prominent position in the Roman forum of Nimes, located at the intersection of the Cardus and Decumanus, the city’s two main streets. Approaching the forum, the temple’s front facade is the focal point.
Style
The Maison Carrée exemplifies classic Roman style. It exhibits characteristics that distinguish Roman temples from Greek temples. These differences are emphasized by the central staircase and the differentiation of the sides, while the rear is less emphasized. It is a pseudoperipteral temple, surrounded by columns attached to the sides. Early Etruscan temples lacked surrounding columns, but the Romans attached them to the wall to emulate the Greeks, adapting the Etruscan model to their spatial constraints. The primary focus is the central part, reinforced by the front staircase.
Interpretation
Content and Significance
The temple was built in the 1st century AD in honor of Augustus. It was intended to house the Numen, the divine presence. It is not dedicated to a specific deity but to the divinity of the emperor.
Function
The temple served a religious function, glorifying the power of Rome. In Rome, art was not merely aesthetic but a means of expressing the empire’s power.
Historical Context
The Maison Carrée dates to the age of the Roman Empire and is dedicated to Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Key historical periods include:
- 8th Century BC: Rome founded by the Etruscans
- 509 BC: Independence of Rome, establishment of the Republic
- 6th Century BC: Roman rule extends throughout mainland Italy
- 3rd Century BC: Roman control over lands in the Western Mediterranean (Punic Wars)
- 2nd Century BC: Roman dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean, conflicts with Hellenistic kingdoms. Greece annexed in 148 BC
- 1st Century AD: Creation of the Roman Empire by Augustus, a new political system
Conclusions
The Maison Carrée represents the prototype of the Roman temple, exhibiting notable differences from Greek temples despite utilizing similar architectural elements. The Roman aesthetic aims to convey a different impression than Greek art, emphasizing power and imperial authority.