Temple of Jupiter (Pompeii)

Initially dedicated to Jupiter alone, it was built in the mid-2nd century BC at the same time as the Temple of Apollo was being renovated – this was the area at which Roman influence over Pompeii increased.

Jupiter was the ruler of the gods and the protector of Rome, where his temple was the center of Roman religion and of the cult of state.

The architecture of the town had been largely changed by the Greeks, but Roman rule would soon lead to alterations in this style.

In contrast to the previous Samnite occupiers, the Romans believed in the importance of architecture in religious and civic life.

The interior of the temple contained the cella, which held the statues of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, and which only the priests were permitted to enter.