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Divo Giulio’s Temple

It was located between the Arch of Augustus and the Basilica Emilia. The temple was dedicated to Caesar who was deified after his death. It was the first case of  post-mortem deification in Rome. It was built by Augustus on the spot where Caesar's body was cremated and it was inaugurated on August 18, 29 BC.

Of the temple, the remains are the podium (base of the temple), work in Cement. In the front part of the podium there was an exedra (semi-circular shape) in which there is still the core of a round altar, probably erected on the site of the funeral pyre. There, it was placed a column with the dedication "to the father of the nation". Two staircases on either side of the podium led to the floor of the cell that was preceded by a portico with six Corinthian columns.

Inside the cell was located the cult statue depicting Caesar with a star above his head. The historian Sventonio tells of some scenes he had seen during his cremation, of women who threw their jewellery on the flames and soldiers who threw their uniforms and armors. On the two long sides and on the rear one,  the temple was surrounded by a portico which was supposed to be the Portico Giulio (Porticus Iulia).