Temple of Augustus and Rome

Quick Summary: The Temple of Augustus and Rome (Monumentum Ancyranum) in Ankara is a Roman temple built c. 25–20 BC to honour Emperor Augustus and the goddess Roma. It is world-famous for bearing the most complete surviving copy of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti ("The Deeds of the Divine Augustus") — Augustus's political testament inscribed in Latin on the interior pronaos walls and in a Greek translation on the south exterior wall. Theodor Mommsen called it the "queen of inscriptions" (regina inscriptionum), and it remains one of the most important documents from the ancient Roman world. The temple, later converted into a Byzantine church and then incorporated into the Hacı Bayram Mosque complex, stands at the heart of historic Ankara in the Ulus district.

• Why the Temple of Augustus Matters
• Geography and Setting
• Historical Background
• The Res Gestae Divi Augusti
• Architecture of the Temple
• The Latin and Greek Texts
• The Temple's Later History
• Hacı Bayram Mosque
• The Res Gestae as a Historical Source
• Archaeological Investigations
• Conservation and Display
• Ankara Before and After Augustus
• Visitor Information
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Sources and Further Reading

Why the Temple of Augustus Matters

The Temple of Augustus in Ankara matters primarily because of a single document inscribed on its walls — the Res Gestae Divi Augusti — which is arguably the most important surviving political text from the Roman Empire.

The Res Gestae: Augustus composed his own account of his achievements shortly before his death in AD 14. He ordered the text inscribed on bronze tablets outside his mausoleum in Rome. Those tablets are lost. Copies were distributed to temples across the empire, but the Ankara copy is by far the most complete, preserving nearly the entire Latin original and a Greek translation. Without the Ankara temple, this foundational text of the Roman principate would be almost entirely lost.

"Queen of Inscriptions": The great German historian Theodor Mommsen (Nobel Prize for Literature, 1902) devoted years to studying the inscription and called it the regina inscriptionum — the queen of all Latin inscriptions. His edition remains a cornerstone of Roman historiography.

Architectural significance: Beyond the inscription, the temple is one of the best-preserved Augustan-era temple structures in Anatolia. Its pseudodipteral Ionic-Corinthian design reflects the provincial adaptation of Roman religious architecture.

Living heritage: The temple's integration with the Hacı Bayram Mosque (built in 1427–28 and expanded in the 18th century) creates a remarkable juxtaposition of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman religious architecture in a single precinct — a physical embodiment of Ankara's layered history.

Geography and Setting

The Temple of Augustus stands in the Ulus district of Ankara, at the base of the hill crowned by the Ankara Citadel (Ankara Kalesi). This area is the historical heart of the city, where ancient Ancyra (the Roman name for Ankara) had its civic and religious centre.

The temple occupies the highest point of the ancient city's lower town, on a natural rise that also hosts the Hacı Bayram Mosque. The site commands views across the old city, with the Citadel rising behind and the modern Ankara skyline visible beyond.

The surrounding Ulus area is Ankara's oldest commercial district, retaining narrow streets, Ottoman-era hans (caravanserais), and the atmosphere of the pre-Republican city. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations — one of the world's great archaeology museums — is located nearby in restored Ottoman buildings within the Citadel.

Historical Background

Ancyra — Galatian Capital

Ankara's ancient history stretches back millennia. By the 3rd century BC, the region was settled by the Galatians — Celtic tribes who migrated from Europe to central Anatolia. Ankara (Ancyra) became the capital of the Tectosages, one of the three Galatian tribes.

Roman Incorporation

In 25 BC, the Roman province of Galatia was established after the death of the last Galatian king, Amyntas. Ancyra became the provincial capital — the administrative centre for a large province covering much of central Anatolia. The temple was built shortly after the province's creation, as a demonstration of loyalty to Augustus and Rome.

Construction of the Temple

The temple was constructed around 25–20 BC, dedicated to Augustus (the first Roman emperor, r. 27 BC – AD 14) and the goddess Roma (the divine personification of the Roman state). It was built by the provincial Galatian assembly (koinon) as an expression of gratitude and political loyalty.

Addition of the Res Gestae

After Augustus's death in AD 14, the text of his Res Gestae was inscribed on the temple's walls — Latin on the interior walls of the pronaos (entrance porch) and Greek on the exterior of the south (cella) wall. This was done under Tiberius, Augustus's successor.

The Res Gestae Divi Augusti

The Res Gestae Divi Augusti ("The Deeds of the Divine Augustus") is the centrepiece of the temple's significance:

What It Is

A first-person account by Augustus of his political and military achievements, his public benefactions, and the honours bestowed upon him. It is essentially Augustus's political autobiography and propaganda testament — his version of his life's work, intended for posterity.

Origin

Augustus composed the text in the last years of his life and deposited it with his will. After his death in AD 14, the Roman Senate ordered the text inscribed on two bronze pillars (pilae) placed in front of Augustus's Mausoleum in Rome. The original bronze pillars have not survived.

Copies were sent to temples of Augustus across the empire. The Ankara copy was inscribed on the Temple of Augustus at Ancyra, the capital of the province of Galatia.

Contents

The Res Gestae consists of 35 chapters plus an appendix, organised into four thematic sections:

1. Political career (chapters 1–14): Augustus's offices, honours, and political actions — his restoration of the Republic, his consulships, his assumption of tribunician power, and his role as princeps
2. Financial benefactions (chapters 15–24): Enormous sums spent on public entertainment (gladiatorial games, theatrical performances), land distribution to veterans, grain distributions, and building projects
3. Military achievements (chapters 25–33): Conquests, annexations, diplomatic successes, and the extension of Roman territory. Lists of peoples subjugated, kings installed, and embassies received from distant nations (including India and Scythia)
4. Summary appendix: A final section listing expenditures and the formula "at the time of writing I was in my seventy-sixth year"

Why It Matters

The Res Gestae is invaluable because:

• It is Augustus's own voice — the only extended first-person political text from a Roman emperor
• It provides specific numbers, dates, and details found nowhere else in ancient literature
• It reveals how Augustus wished to be remembered — as restorer of the Republic, not as a dictator
• It is a masterpiece of political propaganda, carefully omitting failures and emphasising achievements
• It is the single most important document for understanding the transition from Roman Republic to Empire

Architecture of the Temple

Temple Design

• Pseudodipteral plan — an inner row of columns surrounded by a wider spacing where a second row would be, creating a spacious porch
• Ionic columns on the exterior, with Corinthian elements in the interior (a provincial blend of orders)
• Pronaos (entrance porch) facing south, with two columns between the antae (walls extending forward)
• Cella (main chamber) — a rectangular enclosed room that housed the cult statues
• Opisthodomos (rear porch) — a false rear porch mirroring the pronaos
• Built of local andesite stone (dark grey volcanic rock characteristic of the Ankara region)
• Dimensions: approximately 36 × 55 metres including the surrounding platform

Decorative Programme

• Garland and bucranium (ox-skull) frieze running along the exterior walls — a characteristic Augustan decorative motif symbolising sacrifice and abundance
• Carved mouldings on door frames and wall surfaces
• The south exterior wall was left relatively smooth to receive the Greek text of the Res Gestae

Current State

The temple walls survive to near their original height on the south and east sides. The columns, roof, and most of the pronaos have been lost. The best-preserved feature is the south wall with its clearly legible Greek inscription.

The Latin and Greek Texts

Latin Text

• Inscribed on the interior walls of the pronaos (the entrance porch)
• Arranged in six columns of text on the left (south) wall and possibly the right (north) wall
• Much of the Latin text has been damaged or lost due to the destruction of the pronaos when the building was converted to a church
• Approximately two-thirds of the Latin text is recoverable from the Ankara walls

Greek Text

• Inscribed on the exterior south wall of the cella
• A translation of the Latin original, adapted for the Greek-speaking population of the eastern provinces
• Much better preserved than the Latin text — the south wall is substantially intact
• The Greek text is the most complete version of the Res Gestae available

Other Copies

Fragments of the Res Gestae have been found at two other sites:

• Apollonia (modern Uluborlu, Isparta Province) — fragments of the Latin text
• Antioch in Pisidia (modern Yalvaç, Isparta Province) — fragments of the Latin text

These fragments help fill gaps in the Ankara text, but neither approaches the completeness of the Ankara copy.

The Temple's Later History

Byzantine Conversion

In the 5th or 6th century, the temple was converted into a Christian church. This conversion involved:

• Removal of the pronaos columns and construction of an apse at the east end
• Modifications to windows and doorways
• Addition of Christian liturgical fittings

The conversion damaged portions of the Latin inscription on the pronaos walls but ironically helped preserve the building by keeping it in active use.

Seljuk and Ottoman Period

After the Turkish conquest of Ankara (11th century), the building continued to be used in various capacities. In 1427–28, Hacı Bayram-ı Veli — one of the most revered Sufi saints of Ottoman Anatolia — founded his mosque immediately adjacent to the temple's north wall. This decision preserved the temple as part of an active religious precinct.

Hacı Bayram Mosque

The Hacı Bayram Mosque (Hacı Bayram Camii) is intrinsically linked to the Temple of Augustus:

Hacı Bayram-ı Veli

Hacı Bayram-ı Veli (1352–1430) was a Sufi mystic, poet, and founder of the Bayrami dervish order. He is one of the most beloved religious figures in Turkish history. His tomb (türbe) is attached to the mosque.

The Mosque

• Originally built in 1427–28 in a simple plan
• Extensively rebuilt and expanded in the 18th century (1713) with a wider prayer hall and an Ottoman baroque-influenced minbar
• The mosque's qibla wall is built directly against the temple's north wall, physically connecting the two structures
• Hacı Bayram Meydanı (the square in front of the mosque) is one of Ankara's most visited public spaces

Religious Significance

The Hacı Bayram complex is one of the most visited religious sites in Ankara, drawing pilgrims who come to pay respects at the saint's tomb. This continuous religious activity has helped protect the temple precinct from development.

The Res Gestae as a Historical Source

Historians use the Res Gestae to study:

Augustan Propaganda

The text is the supreme example of Roman imperial self-presentation. Augustus's careful wording reveals how the first emperor justified his unprecedented power while maintaining the fiction of republican government. Every phrase was crafted to portray Augustus as a servant of the state, not its master.

Administrative Data

The Res Gestae provides specific figures that are invaluable for Roman historians:

• The number of soldiers settled in colonies (hundreds of thousands)
• Sums of money distributed to the Roman populace (multiple occasions)
• Building projects completed (temples, roads, aqueducts, forums)
• The extent of Roman territorial expansion under Augustus

Military History

The text catalogues Augustus's military achievements — campaigns in Spain, Gaul, Germany, the Balkans, Egypt, Arabia, and the East. It lists peoples conquered, kings installed, and embassies received from nations as distant as India.

Religious and Cultural History

The Res Gestae records Augustus's religious activities — temples restored (82 in Rome alone in one year), games celebrated, and rituals revived. This data is essential for understanding Augustan religious policy.

Archaeological Investigations

European Discovery

• The inscription was first noted by European travellers in the 16th century
• Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, ambassador of the Holy Roman Empire to the Ottoman court, provided the first published description in 1555
• His report sparked scholarly interest that continued for centuries

Mommsen's Edition

• Theodor Mommsen published the definitive critical edition of the Res Gestae in 1883 (Res Gestae Divi Augusti ex Monumentis Ancyrano et Apolloniensi)
• He called the inscription the regina inscriptionum — the queen of inscriptions
• His edition established the standard text and critical apparatus used by all subsequent scholars

Later Studies

• 1926–1928: The German Archaeological Institute conducted a thorough architectural survey and new readings of the inscription under Martin Schede and Daniel Krencker
• Published as Der Tempel in Ankara (1936) — the standard architectural study
• Multiple subsequent campaigns of epigraphy (inscription study) have improved readings of damaged sections
• The discovery of fragments at Apollonia and Antioch in Pisidia helped supplement the Ankara text

Conservation

• Major conservation work was undertaken by the Turkish Ministry of Culture in the 2000s and 2010s
• The temple walls have been cleaned, stabilised, and protected from further weathering
• The surrounding area has been landscaped and made more accessible to visitors
• A protective structure was discussed but not implemented, to avoid altering the visual relationship between temple and mosque

Conservation and Display

The temple presents unique conservation challenges:

Physical Integration with the Mosque

The mosque is built directly against the temple's north wall, making the two structures physically inseparable. Any intervention on the temple must respect the mosque's continued religious function.

Inscription Preservation

The Greek and Latin texts are exposed to weathering, pollution, and (historically) graffiti. Conservation measures include:

• Regular cleaning of the stone surfaces
• Application of protective consolidants to prevent further erosion
• Monitoring of text legibility over time
• High-resolution photographic documentation for scholarly access

Urban Context

The temple is embedded in a dense urban fabric. Managing visitor access, traffic, and urban development around the site requires ongoing coordination between archaeological authorities and city planners.

Ankara Before and After Augustus

The Temple of Augustus represents a pivotal moment in Ankara's transformation:

Before: Galatian Tribal Capital

Before Roman incorporation, Ancyra was the chief settlement of the Tectosages — one of three Galatian tribes. It had a fortress on the citadel hill and a settlement around it, but it was not yet a Greco-Roman city in the full sense.

The Roman Transformation

The creation of the province of Galatia in 25 BC and the construction of the Temple of Augustus marked Ankara's transition from a tribal centre to a Roman provincial capital. The temple was the architectural centrepiece of this transformation — a statement in stone that Ancyra was now part of the Roman world.

Under Rome

Roman Ancyra grew into a prosperous city with:

• Public baths (the Roman Bath ruins on Çankırı Caddesi, visible today)
• A theatre (location identified but not excavated)
• An aqueduct system
• Monumental streets and colonnaded avenues
• A population possibly reaching 100,000 in the 2nd–3rd centuries AD

The Column of Julian

A Roman column (the Column of Julian) stands in Ulus, traditionally associated with the visit of Emperor Julian to Ankara in 362 AD. It provides additional evidence of the city's Roman-era monumental landscape.

Visitor Information

Location: Hacı Bayram Mahallesi, Ulus district, central Ankara. Adjacent to the Hacı Bayram Mosque.

Getting There: The temple is in the historic Ulus area of central Ankara. Accessible by Ankara Metro (Ulus station, Line M1), by bus (numerous routes serve Ulus), or on foot from other central Ankara locations. The Ankara Citadel is a 10-minute walk uphill. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is approximately 15 minutes on foot.

Hours: The exterior of the temple (including the Greek inscription on the south wall) is visible at all times from the surrounding streets and square. Interior access may be restricted during conservation work — check with local tourism offices.

Admission: Free to view the exterior. The Hacı Bayram Mosque is free to enter (remove shoes, women cover heads).

Duration: 30–60 minutes for the temple and mosque. Allow 2–3 hours if combining with the Citadel and Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

Combined Visits:

• Hacı Bayram Mosque — immediately adjacent; one of Ankara's most important religious sites
• Ankara Citadel (Kale) — Byzantine/Ottoman fortress with panoramic views; 10-minute walk uphill
• Museum of Anatolian Civilizations — world-class archaeology museum within the citadel walls (Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian collections)
• Roman Bath (Roma Hamamı) — open-air ruins of a 3rd-century Roman bath complex on Çankırı Caddesi
• Column of Julian — Roman honorary column in Ulus
• Anıtkabir — Atatürk's mausoleum (modern Ankara's most important monument)

Tips:

• Visit the south exterior wall first for the best-preserved Greek text of the Res Gestae
• The contrast between the Roman temple and Ottoman mosque is the key visual experience
• The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (15 min walk) is essential for context
• Visit on a Friday to experience the Hacı Bayram Mosque during communal prayer
• The Ulus bazaar area nearby retains old Ankara atmosphere
• The Roman Bath on Çankırı Caddesi provides complementary evidence of Roman Ancyra
• Best photographed in afternoon light when the south wall is illuminated

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Monumentum Ancyranum? The Monumentum Ancyranum ("Ankara Monument") is the scholarly name for the Temple of Augustus in Ankara, used specifically in reference to the inscription of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti on its walls. It is the most complete surviving copy of Augustus's political testament.

What is the Res Gestae? The Res Gestae Divi Augusti ("Deeds of the Divine Augustus") is a first-person account by Emperor Augustus of his political and military achievements, written shortly before his death in AD 14. The original bronze tablets in Rome are lost; the Ankara copy is the most complete surviving version.

Why did Mommsen call it the "queen of inscriptions"? Because the Res Gestae is the most important single inscription from the Roman world — a direct, extended statement by the most powerful ruler of his age, providing information found in no other ancient source.

Can you see the inscription? Yes — the Greek text on the south exterior wall is clearly visible from the street. The Latin text on the interior pronaos walls is more fragmentary and may require closer access.

What is the relationship between the temple and the mosque? The Hacı Bayram Mosque (1427–28) was built directly against the temple's north wall. The two structures share a common wall, creating a unique juxtaposition of Roman pagan, Christian, and Islamic religious architecture.

Is it a UNESCO site? The Temple of Augustus is on Turkey's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List as part of the nomination for historic Ankara.

Architectural Measurements and Structural Data

Detailed architectural surveys, particularly the landmark study by Daniel Krencker and Martin Schede published as Der Tempel in Ankara (1936), provide precise measurements for the Temple of Augustus. These have been refined by subsequent conservation campaigns.

The garland-and-bucranium (ox-skull) frieze running along the exterior walls is a characteristic Augustan decorative motif found on temples of this period across the Roman world. At Ankara, the frieze is particularly well preserved on the east wall, where individual garland swags and bucranium skulls can be clearly distinguished — providing one of the finest surviving examples of this decorative vocabulary in Anatolia.

The Res Gestae Inscription: Physical Layout

The inscription of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti on the Temple of Augustus is arranged in a specific physical format that reflects careful planning.

The Latin text was arranged to be read by those entering the temple through the pronaos — a deliberate placement ensuring that worshippers encountered Augustus's political testament before reaching the cult images inside. The Greek translation on the exterior south wall was positioned for public visibility, readable by any passerby without entering the sacred precinct. This dual placement strategy — interior Latin for the educated Roman elite, exterior Greek for the broader provincial population — reveals sophisticated imperial communication planning.

Supplementary Copies of the Res Gestae

The Ankara inscription is not the only surviving copy of the Res Gestae, though it is overwhelmingly the most complete. Fragments from two other Galatian sites allow partial cross-referencing and gap-filling.

The existence of multiple copies confirms that the distribution of the Res Gestae was a deliberate imperial program under Tiberius, intended to broadcast Augustus's self-presentation across the provinces. All three surviving copies come from sites within the Roman province of Galatia, suggesting either that Galatian temples were particularly diligent in executing the directive or that conditions in central Anatolia favored long-term stone preservation.

Excavation and Scholarly Chronology

Busbecq's 1555 report is itself a remarkable historical document. As ambassador of the Holy Roman Emperor to the Ottoman court of Suleiman the Magnificent, Busbecq recognized the significance of the Latin text on the temple walls during his journey through Anatolia. His published account, the Legationis Turcicae Epistolae (Turkish Letters), sparked three centuries of scholarly attention that culminated in Mommsen's magisterial edition — the work that established the Res Gestae as the foundation stone of Augustan historiography and earned the inscription its title regina inscriptionum.

Sources and Further Reading

• Augustus, Res Gestae Divi Augusti — translated editions by Alison Cooley (Cambridge, 2009) and P.A. Brunt & J.M. Moore (Oxford, 1967)
• Theodor Mommsen, Res Gestae Divi Augusti ex Monumentis Ancyrano et Apolloniensi (Berlin, 1883)
• Martin Schede and Daniel Krencker, Der Tempel in Ankara (Berlin, 1936)
• Stephen Mitchell, Anatolia: Land, Men, and Gods in Asia Minor, Vol. 1 (Oxford, 1993)
• Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Turkish Letters (1555) — first European description
• UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List — Historic Ankara
• Turkish Museums Directorate — Temple of Augustus
• Wikipedia, "Temple of Augustus, Ankara" — comprehensive overview