The Roman Pantheon is one of the most preserved and influential buildings of ancient Rome. A Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome. The first building was erected in 27 B.C.E. by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, the faithful advisor of Augustus. In Trojan’s time, the temple was completely rebuilt by Hadrian between 118 and 128, in the form we still see today. When approaching the front of the Pantheon one can see the inscription above still reads in Latin the original dedication by Marcus Agrippa. “The inscription reads: "MAGRIPPALFCOSTERTIUMFECIT” “Marcus Agrippa son of Lucius, having been consul three times made it”.” (ROME) Despite all the marvelous building projects that the emperor Hadrian produced …show more content…
Over the many years and rankings serving under Augustus, Marcus achieves many marvels including the idea and production of many aqueducts across Rome, numerous bathhouses, miles of sewers and a hand full of Rome’s most elegant buildings. The Roman art movement is based on realism; Marcus isn’t exactly painting or making sculptures, instead he is building enormous buildings that depict elegance, respect, and above all power. His use of large columns is very evident and key in most of his buildings, especially the Pantheon, as described above. It is believed that the great fire of 80 C.E. that set Rome ablaze also took the pantheon with it in its wake. Publius Aelius Hadrianus Augustus, otherwise known as emperor Hadrian, was heavily involved in the reconstruction of the Pantheon. Hadrian saw himself as a divinely inspired poet, with an avid interest in Greek culture, literature, music and especially architecture. An admirer of Greece, he sought to make Athens the cultural capital of the Empire and ordered the construction of many buildings in the city. His building programs were relentless. “He has been likened to Louis XIV and Versailles or Justinian and the Hagia Sophia.” (H-ARCHIVE) Most of Hadrian’s architectural