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Temple of Salim

Salim/Slem/Slim, Hauran, Syria

2nd/3rd century CE

temple of medium size. The building faced the east. The south parastade, or anta-wall, which is extremely thick, and in which there were a small, stone- roofed chamber and a stair, is preserved to a height of over 3 m. The northeast angle of the opposite parastade is preserved to its full height of over 12 metres. 

The remainder of the temple plan is to be traced only in foundation walls that are almost hidden in fallen building stones. The temple was set on a high podium with rich base mouldings. Its plan is most unusual; for the anta-walls project very far, and are thick enough to contain chambers. Between these antae were two pairs of columns. The ends of the antae are provided with two pilasters, the inner ones 0.81 m. wide to correspond with the columns, the outer pair 1.16 m. wide. 

The wide pilasters were reproduced along the flanks of the temple, six on a side, and upon the rear wall. The interior plan is much more difficult to extricate from the debris. There are certainly two piers which carried a transverse arch over the middle of the cella. At the west end there is an apse, or niche, 2.65 m. wide, with a narrow chamber beside it on the north, and, presumably, a similar chamber on the south. Among the ruins at this point are drums of several columns of smaller scale than the exterior columns, and these I have placed in front of the west wall in the manner already seen in the interior of the Tychaion at is-Sanamen. The podium is perfectly preserved below the two parastades; between them there is no sign of a wall but only a depression filled with debris. 

It must be that a flight of steps ascended at this point; but this leaves no footing for the two columns which stood between the antae- pilasters to carry the entablature above. Among the debris here I found a cap, like the top of a pedestal, with mouldings like the cap of the podium. It was not in place, but lay nearly in line with the two pilasters. In the restoration of the facade I have used this cap as a basis for supplying two tall pedestals for the outer columns. Within these; according to my restoration, the steps ascend, broken by two shorter pedestals to carry the two other columns of which there are numerous fragments.

Sources: 1, 2, 3

“The Praetorium”

Phaena (Al-Masmiyah), Trachon, Syria

160–169 CE

24.8 x 16.4 m

Along with the Roman temple dedicated to Tyche in nearby al-Sanamayn, the Praetorium of al-Masmiyah is the only Roman temple in the Levant that contains niches for statues in the cella. This unique feature in Roman architecture was likely inspired by pre-Roman architecture, particularly the temple of Baal-Shamin in the Syrian Desert town of Palmyra or in various Arabian cities.

The Praetorium was situated atop a podium in a temenos surrounded by colonnades and was constructed by the commander of the Third Gallic Legion between 160–169 CE during the reign of the Roman emperors Aurelius Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Verus. It was relatively small, measuring 24.8 x 16.4 meters. It has a rectangular ground plan with a semi-circular apse that projects onto one side of the building opposite of the doorway. Both sides of the doorway contained niches reserved for statues. The interior space consisted of a single room, which was the naos, and measured 15.09 x 13.78 meters. 

The Praetorium was formerly topped by a square domed roof, likely a cloister vault, which had since collapsed. The roof is supported by four free-standing columns fixed at the inner angles of cross-vaulted arches, which together form a Greek cross. On the opposite end of each columns stood a half-column, making for a total of four main columns, eight half-columns, and four quarter columns (situated at each corner) inside the naos. The arches sit on lintels that span the space between the outer wall and the columns supporting the roof. There were six niches against the walls that were reserved for the placement of statues and in the center of them was the main space, the adyton, used to hold the main statue of the pagan cult. The adyton was topped by a conch-shaped half-dome. The building had two windows, a rare feature in Classical pagan temples, and a total of three entryways. Of the entry ways, there was a principal central doorway that was higher and broader than the two side-doors.

that was constructed by the commander of the Third Gallic Legion between 160–169 CE during the reign of the Roman emperors Aurelius Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Verus.

Sources: 1

Hiroo Isono, 1982

North Temple of Atil - Temple of Theandrites

Atil, Hauran, Syria

211–212 CE

This small town contains two almost identically designed Roman temples, delicately fashioned from the local basalt stone. The south Temple stems from the Antonine period (151 CE) the second or North Temple (probably dedicated to the Nabataean deity, Theandrites) was built in 211–212 CE. The southern temple is better preserved, while the northern temple has been incorporated into a modern house and tomb. Both have attractively decorated facades with fine detail.

Sources: 1, 2

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