SOL (ET LUNA), AEDES
an ancient shrine of Sol in the circus Maximus
(Tac.
Ann. xv. 74:
vetus aedes apud circum (see DAP 2. vi. 266, for an
explanation); Tert. de spect. 8
circus Soli principaliter consecratur:
cuius aedes medio spatio et effigies de fastigio aedis emicat). The statue
referred to by Tertullian probably represented the god as driving his
chariot. The shrine was inside the circus, and may be represented on the
Maffei relief (Cod. Vat. 3439, f. 58),
1 and on coins of Philippus Arabus
(Cohen, v. 138, Nos. 12-13), where the marking has usually been thought
to indicate that of Murcia. The templum Solis et Lunae of the Notitia
(Reg. XI) is undoubtedly this temple, and it is so called in the calendars,
where the day of dedication is given as 28th August (Fast. Praen. Philoc.
ad v Kal. Sept., CIL i². p. 239, 270, 315; HJ 115; WR 315;
Rosch. iv.
1139; RE iii. A. 903-905). For a theory that the temple mentioned
by Tacitus as apud (near) the circus is to be identified with the so-called
temple of Portunus, see ZA 248-250.
The original church of S. Maria del Sole lay, however, near Tor de'
Specchi (Panciroli, Tesori Nascosti (ed. 2), 78, copied by Bruti ap. Arm.
611) and it was only a little before 1650 that the miraculous Madonna
was transferred to S. Stefano delle Carrozze.
