Title: Hermopolis Magna und das Heiligtum für Ptolemaios III
Description: The oldest Corinthian ring hall temple was built in Hermopolis Magna in Middle Egypt in 240 BCE. This is little known, although an Egyptian archaeologist discovered the dedicatory inscription of the temple in 1945 and shortly later the 16 capitals came to light. The sanctuary of King Ptolemy III and his wife Bernike in late antiquity was victim of the plans of the Bishops, who erected a basilica on the site. An exacavation team from the University of Alexandria in 1950-51 found many of the Hellenstic sanctuary components and published a preliminary report. Wolfram Hoepfner visited Hermopolis in 1969 and compared the parts with a contemporary building in Alexandria. 50 years later, at the suggestion of his colleagues he looked for his yellowed notes. He was amazed when the disparate components could be reconstructed into a veritable sanctuary. A highly modern site was created the province, along with the Corinthian order ring hall temple and a Skenographia. The key feature is certainly, that the constructive imagery (Skenographia) conceived from a central perspective can still be seen as an echo of the 2nd style wall paintings from Pompeii.
Subjects: Greek Temples
Places: Egypt, Hermopolis (Extinct city), Hermopolis Magna (Extinct city)
People: Ptolemy III Euergetes King of Egypt (-221 B.C)