[1] The temple was founded by Publius Sempronius Sophus, following a vow he took when an earthquake occurred when he was commanding the Roman forces during a battle with the Picentes in 268 BCE.
The temple was occasionally used for meetings of the Senate, and on its walls was displayed a map or a personification of Italy (described by Varro as Italia picta).
It was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE, but was subsequently rebuilt.
It was still listed in the Notitia as standing in the 4th century, located in the Regio IV Templum Pacis.
As the worship of Tellus by the Romans had a very long history, it is probable that there was a much earlier cult centre on the site afterwards occupied by the temple.