
Temple of Hercules
The Temple of Hercules is a historical building located within the Amman Citadel in the center of the capital. It is considered one of the most important Roman buildings remaining today in the city and larger than any Roman temple built in Rome itself. It dates back to the second century AD. The remaining part of this building is one of the most important landmarks of the city of Amman at present, which symbolizes it and its history.
According to some of the inscriptions found on the site. Today one remaining facade of the temple is made up of six colossal columns, as well as some other columns from other palace rooms.
The name of the temple was dedicated to Hercules, one of the Roman deities whose mission and function was to protect the city. It is noteworthy that a colossal statue of Hercules was built at the entrance to the temple, where there are remnants of the hand.
It has two rows of columns, each of which is 9 meters high, and the diameter of each column is 1.5 meters. Above the columns are capitals of the Corinthian style. The columns are linked by high lintels, each of which is 7 meters long. Excavations have indicated that there are incomplete columns; This supports the hypothesis that the building was structurally incomplete.
As for these days, only a few columns remain of this huge and grandiose building. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with the American Center for Oriental Research, renovated the building in the early nineties of the last century to be in its current form.
Hand of Hercules/
During the excavation process, only a few clues were left to help scientists solve the mysteries of this huge, semi-deserted temple. But the ones that did exist were huge - albeit mysterious. Of only three giant fingers, one elbow, and a scattering of coins, archaeologists agreed that these marble body parts most likely belonged to a colossal statue of Hercules himself. Therefore, the theory goes, the temple must also have been dedicated to a demigod known for his feats of strength and far-reaching adventures.
It is possible that the statue was toppled during one of the periodic catastrophic earthquakes in the area, the statue fell into small pieces, but unlike the temple, all but the hand and elbow are all gone. In the words of one guide, “The rest of Hercules became work surfaces in Oman.”
Experts' best guess is that the statue, in its original state, would have been up to 40 feet tall, making it among the largest marble statues ever known.
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