Equiria
1998.12.01
The buildings along the Equiria related to the military are: the Officinae Balistarium, the Officinae Scorpiorium, the Templum Castrum, the Naumachia Domitiani, three Circulus with two Ludus, the Officinae Armorum with its attached Officinae machinarum militarium, the Templa Jovis Martis Veneris, and an Aedicula Isidis, all of which translate into a ballista factory, a scorpion factory, a temple dedicated to Castor (the guide to mariners), a stadium for the show of mock sea-fights, exercise fields, a factory for arms and military machines, and a triple temple dedicated to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus and chapel dedicated to Isis. These buildings, moreover, are interspersed with "statues of illustrious men" as well as the sepulchers of many distinguished military figures from Roman history. This concentration of military functions essentially constitutes a design for ancient Rome's main military headquarters.
Naumachia Domitiani
1998.12.01
Situated approximately one-third up the one and a half mile race-course, the Naumachia Domitiani, through its massiveness and presumed height alone, is a prominent presence along the Equiria. Piranesi also positions the Naumachia Domitiani together with the Templum Castorum and the Templum Deorum Larium Parmarini, which consequently forms a group of buildings dedicated to ancient Rome's naval military forces.
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Templum Castorum
1998.12.01
Castor : the son of the Spartan king Tyndarus and Leda, brother of Helena and Pollux, with whom as twin star Gemini he served as a guide to mariners
templum : a place dedicated to some particular deity, a fane, temple, shrine
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The Templum Castorum sits between the Porticus a S.P.Q.R. Amoenitati Dicata, the Naumachia Domitiani, and the Porticus Vipsania on the Tiber side of the Equiria. Being dedicated to Castor, and thus dedicated to one of the Roman navy's guiding lights, this temple fits completely within the military program Piranesi plans for the Ichnographia's Equiria. The Templum Castorum does not stand alone with its naval theme, however. Close to the Templum Castorum are the Naumachia Domitiani and the Templum Deorum Larium Parmarini, and, assembled together, these three buildings form a concentrated affirmation of ancient Rome's amphibious forces.
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Templum Castorum
The Templum Castorum is a simple tholos plan, however, the presence of a single column in the center of the round cella is a somewhat unprescedented feature for this type of temple.
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