LIBER PATER TEMPLE

Archaic divinity from central Italy, Liber Pater was, together with his pair Libera, the protector of vineyards and of the fields fertility. This lead to his assimilation with Dyoniss - Bacchus and at the spreading of his cult throughout the whole Roman Empire.

The Liber Pater Temple is situated at aproximately 300 m North-East from the Amphitheatre and it is oriented N-S. The entrance is on the South side and have had two Corinthian columns made from grit stone, put on blocks from the same material.

The pronaos of the temple is bordered towards the interior by a portico communicating with two rooms (cubicula) disposed symmetrically from the third on, the central one. In the Western room can be seen the base of the altar, made from tiles and bricks, dedicated to God Silvanus, identified from some reliefs representing the divinity.

The temple cella is small, 6,5 *5,8, and keeps the stairs going up to the altar. The platform is bordered with two marble Corinthian columns.

The temple had the pronaos covered. The roof is supported by the exterior walls and by the columns line of the portico. In the center remains and uncovered yard. The cella, raised due to the stairs, and the central cubiculum have had a common roof, higher than that of the pronaos.

The temple imposed by its monumental entrance and by the high columns of the cella, even if the exterior columns, is characteristic of the antique cult buildings, were missing.