Paestum Temple of Athena (undated photo)
Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
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The Temple of Athena, goddess of wisdom and art, was built around the 6th century BCE and is commonly referred to as the Temple of Ceres. It was the second temple to be built and measures 33m x 14.5m. One of the defining features of the Temple of Athena in Paestrum is the large frieze at the top, clearly visible in this undated photo facing the front of the temple.
According to custom, it is arranged in East-West fashion with the entrance facing East. In standard Doric style - which had not been developed yet - it has 6 columns in front and 13 columns along the side. As this photo reveals, all that remains standing are the columns of the peristyle and none from the inside.
The Temple of Athena in Paestum was, naturally, dedicated to the cult of Athena - known to the Romans as Minerva. This has been confirmed by the presence of numerous votive offerings and teracotta statues within the temple. The presence of "Minerva" on several items shows that worship of the goddess continued during the Roman period of Paestum. Apparently it was converted to a Christian church at some point because Christian burials have been located under the southern peristyle.
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