The Temple of the Castores

The construction of the Temple of the Castores was undertaken by Aulus Postumius Albinus in 499BC following the Roman victory over the latins at the battle of Lake regillus. The legend states that the Heavenly Twins, Castor and Pollux (the Dioscuri), appeared in the forum to tell the Roman people the outcome of the battle. By the time the temple was dedicated in 484BC Albinus had died, so his son presided over the ceremony. The temple was restored in 117BC by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Dalmaticus, the consul at the time, and by Verres in 74BC. The final building works were undertaken in 6BC by the future Emperor Tiberius, and it is these remains that are visible today. Before you become less than impressed by this date, that's still 2011 years old!

Here's my favourite picture of the three columns of the temple of the Castores, taken in profile with the temple of Vesta. Although the temple of Vesta is the smaller of the two, in this shot they appear almost identical in size.

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