6/10/2023 0 Comments Colossus statue![]() The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exist countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained. Īt Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. The colossal Hand of Hercules among the ruins in the Amman Citadel in Jordan. A Little Perspective…How Big is the Hand of Hercules?. Amman Citadel, Temple of Hercules – History of Jordan in a Nutshell. The incredible Hand of Hercules in Jordan. Top image: A photo of the Hand of Hercules. Thus, all that remains today of this colossal statue are its three fingers and one of its elbows.Ĭould the Statue of Hercules in Amman looked like this statue of Hercules currently housed in the Met Museum ? The statue would have probably been fragmented, and the pieces reused by locals for other purposes. It has been suggested that the statue of Hercules eventually collapsed as a result of a catastrophic earthquake, which would strike the area from time to time. One of the Largest Known Marble Sculpturesīased on the remaining three fingers and elbow, it has been estimated that the complete statue of Hercules would have stood at a height of 43 feet (13 meters), which would make it one of the largest marble statues to have been sculpted in history. Nevertheless, given that a large number of coins bearing the image of Hercules have been found in the city below, it has been speculated that the temple was probably dedicated to him, and the hand most likely was part of a statue of the demi-god. Where is the Rest of Hercules?Īpart from the hand and the elbow of the statue, little more was found at the site – just a scattering of coins – which leaves open the question, where is the rest of Hercules? And can we be certain that it even was a statue of Hercules? Even the experts themselves are not entirely certain if the temple in Amman was indeed dedicated to Hercules. Ammonite Temple of Milcom (known also as Moloch or Molech). It has been postulated that this may have been the sacred rock that was the centrepiece of the 9 th century B.C. Within the area where the temple’s inner sanctum would have been, there is a bare patch of rock that has been left exposed. It has been suggested that the Temple of Hercules was built on the site of an older temple dedicated to a native god. Credit: ACOR, Jordan A Site More Ancient than Ancient! With these pieces of information, a model of the temple has been made, and is today displayed in the American Center for Oriental Research (ACOR) in Amman.Ī model of the temple of Hercules. In addition, the area covered by the temple has been measured. The columns had fallen over the centuries, and were re-erected in 1993. These columns, six in total, would have originally stood at a height of about 10 m. For instance, the part of the temple where the columns had been erected is the portico. Still, the parts of the temple that have survived through the ages have provided scholars with some information about the monument. ![]() Ruins of the Temple of Hercules in Amman ( CC by 3.0 ) It has been suggested that the temple was never completed, as only a part of the structure was adorned with columns, whilst the rest was left bare. Like the Roman Theatre and the Roman Odeon, the Temple of Hercules was constructed during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Some of these, like the Roman Theatre and Roman Odeon can still be seen in the city today.Īnother building, the Temple of Hercules, was also built during this time, though it has not been as well preserved as the other two aforementioned structures. ![]() During the period of Roman rule, which lasted for about four centuries, many public monuments were built in Amman. At that time, Amman was one of the Ten Cities of the Decapolis, and was known by its Greek name as Philadelphia. Monumental Statues Filled the Ancient City of Ammanĭuring the 1 st century B.C., the area of modern day Jordan came under Roman rule. The statue’s hand and its elbow can be seen by those visiting the remains of Amman’s Temple of Hercules today. Apart from this hand (or more accurately, three fingers of a hand), the only other piece of the statue that has remained is its elbow. This fragment is believed to have once been a part of a colossal marble statue of the demi-god Hercules, as it was found at the site of the Roman Temple of Hercules. The Hand of Hercules is the name given to a massive fragment of an ancient statue that was unearthed by archaeologists in Amman, the capital of Jordan.
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