1 Earliest Rome

a o ;c JO ;cr-
I 1 1 [ 1 1
4.2 The temple of Mars Ultor
1. J he cult statue. It has also been suggested that there were cult statues of Venus and of
divusjuYms that stood on either side of that of Mars Ultor. For this possibility see Vol.
1, 331-3 fig. 7.2a. Also kept in the cella of the temple were the Roman standards cap­
tured by the Parthians at their victory at the battle of Carrhae (53 U.c.) and recovered by
Augustus in 20 B.C. These standards gave another sense to Mars' role as avenger.
2. Sculptural group in temple pediment. In addition two reclining figures filled the corners
- usually identified as personifications of the river Tiber (right) and the Palatine Hill
(left). Some small-scale versions of the pedimental group survive. Note, especially, a
first-century A.D. sculptural relief showing the whole facade of a temple, probably to be
identified as Mars Ultor, Vol. 1, fig. 4.5.
3. The exedrae 'balance' in direct opposition statues of the two legendary founders of the
Roman race: Aeneas, son of Venus and ancestor of Augustus' family; and Romulus, son
of Mars.
4. Statues of Augustus' ancestors, the Julii.
5. Statues of the legendary rulers of Alba Longa - the city founded by Aeneas on his arrival
in Italy and predating Rome itself.
6. Statues of the most distinguished generals and statesmen of the Republic. Underneath
each was an inscribed summary of the man's career (an elogium). For the surviving frag­
ments of these inscriptions and statues, see Zanker (1988) 210-15*; Degrassi (1937)
1-36; (1939) (for surviving Latin texts of the inscriptions).
81