Hadrian´s Temple on the Curetes Street in Ephesus

The building commonly known as Hadrian`s Temple is one of the most famous monuments in the ancient city of Ephesus. Although it was discovered in 1956, this structure has never been systematically analyzed, studied, or published. As a result, it has remained a subject of controversy for over half a century. Until now, scholars have been unable to ascertain its chronology, function, and its architectural reconstruction. Hadrian`s Temple occupies a prominent location in the western section of Curetes Street, one of the chief thoroughfares of the site. Its plan is essentially a variation of the tetrastyle prostylos temple layout, with two pillars anchoring the axis of the antae and two regular columns between them. Reconstruction of the building by the architect K. H. Göschl began straightaway in 1957 and was finished a year later. The excavator F. Miltner immediately interpreted the building - presumably in accordance with the building inscription - as the Neokoros Temple, the "official" temple for the worship of the emperor Hadrian that had been awarded to Ephesus in 132-33 AD, but this interpretation was almost immediately contested. Based on prosopographical grounds, M. Wörrle argued that the building should be dated to 117-118 AD., which places the building`s construction more than ten years before the Neokoros Temple is known to have been granted to Ephesus. A frieze inserted beneath the entablature in the wall of the pronaos has caused further ambiguity for the dating of the monument. Its artistic style differs not only from the rest of the building but also from Roman Imperial Art of the 2nd century. In general, the frieze has been considered a part of a 4th century alteration and it has even been suggested that the building as a whole is a Late Antique amalgamation. The monument`s continued significance in Late Antiquity with regard to the urban layout of Ephesus cannot be doubted: Statue bases for the tetrarchs Diocletian, Constantius I, and Galerius were erected in front of the façade; even later Theodosius I installed a base for his father`s statue as a part of his refurbishing program of the Curetes Street. Before issues such as interpretation and function can be assessed, it is of uttermost importance to clarify the architectural history of the structure. The imperial elements have to be distinguished from later additions, and the assignment to their respective phases will lead to reconstruction of the building at different points in time. Only this approach will allow us to access a possible functional change and to provide a secure basis for the study of the cultural and historical significance of this monument. The architectural documentation will primarily be accomplished by 3D laser scanning. In addition, the problems of the 1950s reconstruction will also be addressed. Scientific analysis of the building will yield data and information on the impact of anastylosis on the state of preservation of the monument. Innovatively and indispensably, this project is designed to deal with the Hadrian`s Temple in an all-encompassing manner.

The building commonly known as Hadrian`s Temple is one of the most famous monuments in the ancient city of Ephesus. Shortly after its excavation in the 1950s, the little temple was rebuilt. In antiquity as well as today it dominates the western part of the Curetes Street, one of the major thoroughfares of the city. The excavator Franz Miltner interpreted the building presumably in accordance with the building inscription as the "Neocorate"-Temple, the "official" imperial cult temple for the worship of the emperor Hadrian. The erection of such a building was granted to Ephesus by the emperor himself in 132/133 A.D. Miltner`s interpretation was met with increasing skepticism since it was published, but an alternative explanation has never been put forth nor the function of the structure has been satisfactorily clarified. Moreover, the history of the building as well as a definitive reconstruction had yet to be explained and presented. To resolve these issues, the project adopted a contextual approach: architectural history, building ornamentation, relief scultpures, epigraphic evidence, as well as the information concerning the benefactor had all been taken into consideration in order to reexamine this structure in a comprehensive manner. In addition, an evaluation of the state of preservation was performed by a professional conservator. The re-interpretation is based on a new understanding of the building phases. The necessary architectural documentation was accomplished by means of 3D Surface scanning. Essentially, the building was erected in its present location in 117/118 A.D. contemporaneously and together with the adjacent bath complex, the so-called Varius Bath. Both structures were commissioned by the rich Ephesian P. Quintilius Valens Varius, his wife and his daughter Varilla. Inscriptions testify that father and daughter held offices in connection with the Temple of Artemis, the famous sanctuary that was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World in antiquity. Previously, a relief frieze in the walls of the front hall has been dated to Late Antiquity. According to the latest research, they are almost certainly part of the original Hadrianic structure and show scenes from the founding of the city and the Artemis sanctuary. Other decorative elements also point to the sphere of Artemis. All in all, the function of the building that is called "temple" or "shrine" in the building inscription, points towards a connection with the festive processions in honor of the city goddess Artemis, that leads through the city and the Curetes Street. It is possible that cult activities also included the worship of the emperor Hadrian; but the building certainly did not represent the "official" imperial cult temple.