Original scientific paper
ON THE TEMPLES OF DIOCLETIAN`S PALACE
Tomislav Marasović
; Umjetnička akademija Sveučilišta u Splitu
Abstract
Interpretations of the functions of the religious buildings within Diocletian 's Palace are numerous and diverse. In his systematic analysis of the architecture of the Split palace J. Marasović deals with the problem of the form of these buildings, while the author of this article is more concerned with their attribution and function. The author begins with a concise chronological listing of the more significant opinions on that question in order to facilitate a debate on the issue. He begins with that of Constantine Porphyrogenetos from the mid 10th century and ends with contemporary interpretations. Such an overview leads to several conclusions: 1. The discovery of two edifices of circular ground plan in 1957 finally confirmed the credibility of ancient sources and proved the palace to have had, in its original state, four cult buildings, of which the largest octagonal one was situated to the east and three smaller ones to the west of the Peristyle. There is not enough evidence to definitely determine the worship of any specific group of deities in the palace (which would be characteristic for late Antiquity), despite the possible attributions of the cult buildings to groupings such as JupiterAesculapius- Cybele-Venus or even Jupiter-Janus-Cybele-Venus in combinations with Mars and despite the possible and very plausible conclusion that the western temple maintained the pantheistic tradition of Roman worship. Research of the two smaller circular buildings in the western temenos has uncovered no definite links between their form and the characteristics of temples related to the worship of a deity. It is thus possible to accept the thinking of certain researchers that these temples are in fact monuments of a different function within the western cult sector of the palace. The author puts forward the possibility that the number of temples itself is significant in that the existence of four cult buildings to the east and west of the Perystile may be a symbolic representation of the tetrarchy that ruled the Empire at the time. Similar allusions can also be found in the plinths above the Golden Gate. 2. The function and attribution of the largest, eastern temple in the Palace has been determined in spite of differing opinions on the subject. It is generally felt, on the basis of the oldest historical sources and more recent research, that the building that became the Split cathedral in the early Middle Ages was originally the Mausoleum of the Emperor Diocletian and a temple dedicated to the worship of Jupiter, Diocletian's divine father. 3. There are also differing opinions on the attributions of the western rectangular building both in terms of dedication (Aesculapius, Cybele, Janus, Jupiter, Sol invictus), and in terms of basic function (palace temple, imperial mausoleum or some other usage related to the cult of the dead). Analysis of the decorative details on the building itself brings into question Cambi's hypothesis that the temple reflects the pantheistic tradition of Roman religion. 4. The small circular »temples« in the western section of the temenos are mentioned in historical sources in terms of the Cybele (Proculiano, Fischer von Erlach), Venus (Proculiano) and Mars (Archdeacon Thomas). The ornamentation of these edifices remains unknown apart from the uncovered fragment of a frieze from the southern temple and as result the credibility of the mentioned sources cannot be checked. Their attribution remains, therefore an open question as does their function in the western sector. Publication of the results of research with reconstruction drawings showing the original appearance of these buildings should provide some enlightenment to this question.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
114575
URI
Publication date:
10.12.1997.
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