Temple of Concord

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Temple of Concordia, at the western end of the Roman Forum, Rome. Vowed in 367 BC to commemorate the reconciliation between the patricians and plebians and rebuilt in 121 BC to foster harmony after the murder of Gracchus.

It was restored during the reign of Augustus by Tiberius, who probably rededicated it in AD 12. This restoration was distinguished by its opulent marble and rich architectural ornamentation. In the cella, which is the central chamber or sanctuary of a temple, a row of Corinthian columns, the capitals of which had pairs of leaping rams in place of the corner volutes, was raised on a continuous plinth projecting from the wall, which divided the cella into bays, each containing a niche. Such was the wealth of fine Greek sculpture, paintings, and other works of art that the Temple seems to have become a museum of art and sculpture. It also was used for meetings of the Senate, especially in times of civil disturbance.

Backed up against the Tabularium at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, the architecture had to accommodate the limitations of the site. The cella of the temple, for instance, is almost twice as wide as it is deep, as is the pronaos (the columnar porch in front of the cella approached by the stairs).