The Temple of Hercules Victor is a circular marble temple in Piazza della Bocca della Verità, beside the Tiber and the ancient Forum Boarium. Dating to the 2nd century BC, it is among Rome’s oldest surviving temples and one of the city’s oldest marble buildings. Twenty Corinthian columns surround its central chamber, giving you a close view of a Greek-inspired design. The temple was later converted into a church, but today visitors can admire it from outside. Pair the stop with nearby sights in the square.
A sanctuary beside the old cattle market
The Temple of Hercules Victor stands in the Forum Boarium, Rome’s ancient cattle-market area, near the Tiber. The sanctuary was dedicated to Hercules as a protector of traders. Merchants working in the market could bring their business, journeys and livestock under his protection.
The round building is sometimes mistaken for a temple of Vesta because of its shape. Its dedication, however, was to Hercules Victor. It is also known as the Temple of Hercules Invictus or the Temple of Olearius. The name Olearius is associated with the area’s olive-oil trade.
A Greek-inspired circular design
Built in the 2nd century BC, the temple uses a circular plan associated with Greek architecture. Twenty Corinthian columns form an open ring around the central chamber, or cella. The marble columns and compact form make the building easy to read from the square, even though visitors cannot go inside.
The structure stands on a stepped base made from blocks of tuff. Its columns include marble from different sources; some are Lunense marble, associated with a later repair. The building’s marble construction has helped it endure as one of Rome’s oldest surviving ancient temples.
From temple to church and back into view
The building’s use changed over the centuries. In the 12th century it became the church of Santo Stefano delle Carrozze. From the mid-16th century, it was dedicated to Santa Maria del Sole, a name linked to an image of the Virgin found in the Tiber and regarded as miraculous.
A major restoration in the early 19th century, led by architect Giuseppe Valadier, returned the ancient structure to view. The temple’s long history is visible in the contrast between its original circular colonnade and its later life as a church. The interior once held a bronze statue of Hercules; the statue is now kept in the Capitoline Museums.
Preguntas frecuentes
Can you go inside the Temple of Hercules Victor?
No. Visitors can admire the temple from outside, but the interior is not open to the public.
Where is the Temple of Hercules Victor?
It is in Piazza della Bocca della Verità, beside the Tiber in the Forum Boarium area of Rome.
How old is the Temple of Hercules Victor?
It dates to the 2nd century BC and is among Rome’s oldest surviving temples.
What should I look for at the temple?
Look at its circular plan, the twenty Corinthian columns and the stepped base. The temple’s exterior is the focus of a visit.
