PORTUNIUM
* the most certain occurrence of this word is in Fronto (
Ep. i. 7
(Naber):
idem evenit floribus et coronis; alia dignitate sunt (in Portunio) (from marg.) quom a coronariis veneunt, alia quom a sacerdotibus
(in templo) (from marg.) porriguntur; cf.
Jord. ii. 199), where, if the
marginal readings be correct, Portunium must mean the immediate
vicinity of the temple of Portunus, a place frequented by flower-sellers,
rather than the temple itself, as in the case of Dianium, Minervium. It is
probable that Portunium may also be the correct reading in
Varro v. 146:
secundum Tiberim ad Portunium (MSS. ad iunium) forum piscarium
vocant (
Jord. ii. 257); and that the Fortunium of Cur. (Reg. XI) should
be changed into Portunium.
The temple of Portunus is mentioned in Varro (LL 22 vi. 19:
Portunalia
dicta a Portuno, cui eo die aedes in portu Tiberino facta et feriae institutae), and in the calendar, under date of August 17th, the Portunalia,
its day of dedication (Fast. Allif. Veil. Amit. ad xvi Kal. Sept., CIL i². p.
217, 240, 244, 325:
Portuno ad pontem Aemilium). Portus Tiberinus
must mean here a quay along the river, not a warehouse (cf.
PORTUS
LICINI, etc.), near the pons Aemilius, and the temple was close by.
(For the discussion of this question, see Mommsen, CIL is. p. 325; Fowler,
Roman Festivals 202-203; Besnier 307-312: Jord. i. I. 432; Rosch.
iii. 2786-2787.) A relief on the arch of Trajan at Beneventum seems to
represent Portunus and other gods at the portus Tiberinus (
OJ 1899,
182-183; S. Sculp. 217; SScR 194).
This temple, among others, has been identified with the ancient
circular temple (III. 43), which was occupied by the church of S. Stephanus
Rotundus
(1140), S. Stefano delle Carrozze (sixteenth century), and was
later called S. Maria del Sole, in the Piazza Bocca della Verita (DAP 2. vi.
263; HJ 143;
Mitt. 1925, 321-350). It is built of white marble, the blocks
of the cella being solid, with a peristyle of twenty Corinthian columns.
The cella is 10 metres in diameter and stands on a podium of tufa, 2 metres
high, in the centre of which is a favissa (LR 518-520) which belongs to
the period of the republic,
1 although the marble covering and the whole
superstructure date from the early empire.
2 The entablature is missing,
and the roof is modern. On the whole this identification is more probable
than any other that has been suggested,
3 but far from certain (
Jord. i. 2.
485; Altm. 22-30, 33-36; ZA 248-251 (whose attribution to the period
of Severus is doubtful). See D'Esp.
Fr. i. 40-43; DuP 72; TF 136).3