![]() ![]() After this relocation project, the temple was officially converted to the Christian religion and named Saint Maria ad Martyrs. In 308, the remains of numerous martyrs were removed from various Christian catacombs and carefully relocated to the Pantheon at the request of Pope Boniface IV. 1748-1774) by Giovanni Battista Piranesi Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons ![]() The conversion of the Pantheon to a Christian temple was essential to the survival of the building, to be able to make the necessary repairs and ongoing maintenance. The Pantheon was the first-ever Pagan temple to be converted to a Christian place of worship. In 609, Pope Boniface IV received approval from Phocas, the Byzantine emperor at the time, to adapt the Pantheon into a Christian temple. In 476, Odoacer, the German warrior dominated the west of the Roman Empire, where Rome was established. After the transfer of power, the Pantheon fell into a lengthy period of neglect and disrepair. In 330, the Roman Empire’s capital was transferred by Emperor Constantine from Rome to Byzantium, which is now known as Istanbul, Turkey. In modern language, we know this part to stretch from the east to the coast across Northern England.Ī stretch of Hadrian’s Wall about 1 mile west of the Roman Fort near Housesteads Steven Fruitsmaak, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Hadrian’s wall, which measures 73 miles in length, exhibited the northwest boundary of the Roman Empire. One of Hadrian’s buildings included Hadrian’s Wall, which was used as a type of defensive reinforcement. Hadrian started a building campaign, which he pursued for the rest of his life up until he died in 138. This was the year that Hadrian, who had an immense passion for art and architecture, became emperor. The year 117 was a time when the Roman Empire had power over all of what we know today as Europe, as well as some parts of Northern Africa and the Middle East. The merge of both Greek and Roman architectural themes in the Pantheon is thus a clear indication that Hadrian was the most likely architect of the building.Ī portrait illustration of Roman emperor and architect, Hadrian or Hadrianus (1583) Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons These beliefs are met when taking into consideration that Hadrian not only had a love for architecture but also for Roman and Greek culture. The above findings led to the belief that Hadrian was the architect of the newly erected Pantheon. This discovery also revealed the fact that the Pantheon was constructed during the rule of Hadrian, the Roman Emperor. The stamps of dates on these bricks, indicating when they were made and other markings on them which named the government officials at the time, made it clear that the Pantheon was built from 120 to 128 AD. The truth was discovered during the early 1900s when different bricks were studied throughout the entire building. There used to be a lot of confusion surrounding the exact build date of the existing pantheon. The Pantheon is one of the sole Roman buildings that has remained perfectly intact throughout the centuries.Įxterior of the Pantheon in Rome, Italy John Samuel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Originally, it was believed that the building as it is today is the result of a reconstruction project by Hadrian that took place between 118 and 125 AD. Because of the name, it is speculated that the Pantheon was built as a temple to the twelve Greek Gods as well as to the living Sovran. The Pantheon was built somewhere between 25 and 27 BC by Agrippa. Whether the Pantheon was indeed used for this purpose, we will never know. The breakdown of the name thus makes it clear that the Pantheon served as a temple for the Greek gods, which answers the question of “what was the Pantheon used for?” 4.10 What Happens in the Pantheon on the 21st of April?Īlthough it is such a popular building, not many people know the answer to the question “what is a pantheon?” Breaking up the Greek word “Pantheon” makes the meaning clearer and gives possible insight into what the purpose of the building was: pan means “all”, and theos means “gods”.4.9 Why Is the Pantheon So Well Preserved?.4.6 What Is the Pantheon Used for Currently?.4.5 What Was the Pantheon Used for Originally?. ![]()
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