FIDES, AEDES
a temple of Fides, afterwards known as Fides Publica
(Val. Max.) or Fides Publica populi Romani (diplomata), on the Capitol.
The establishment of the cult and the erection of a shrine (sacrarium,
ἱερόϝ) is ascribed to Numa (
Liv. i. 21. 4;
Dionys. ii. 75; Plut. Numa 16),
probably on the site of the later temple. This was dedicated--and
presumably built-by A. Atilius Calatinus in 254 or 250 B.C. (Cic. de nat.
deor. ii. 61, cf. Aist. de sacris aedibus 16), and restored and re-dedicated
by M. Aemilius Scaurus in 115 B.C. (Cic. loc. cit.). The day of dedication
was 1st October(Fast. Arv. Amit. Paul. ad Kal. Oct., CIL 2. p. 214,215,242;
Fast. Ant. ap. NS 1921,114). This temple was in Capitolio (Fast. locc. citt.;
Plin.
NH xxxv. 100), and vicina Iovis optimi maximi (Cato ap. Cic. de off.
iii. 104), and probably inside the area Capitolina, at its south-east corner
near the porta Pandana
1 (Hulsen, Festschrift an Kiepert 211-214), rather
than outside (
Hermes 1883, 115-116;
Rosch. ii. 709). It was used for
meetings of the senate (Val.
Max. iii. 17; App.
BC i. 16), and on its walls
were fastened tablets on which international agreements were probably
inscribed (Ann. d.
Inst. 1858, 198 ff.). In 43 B.C. a great storm tore off
some of these tablets (Cass.
Dio xlv. 17. 3; Obseq. 128). The
diplomata of honorably discharged soldiers were also fastened up here
(CIL iii. pp. 902, 916; Suppl. p. 2034). The temple contained a painting
by Apelles of an old man teaching a youth to play the lyre (
Plin. xxxv.
100), but nothing is known of its appearance, construction or later
history (
Jord. i. 2. 42;
RE vi. 2281-2283;
Rosch. i. 1481-1483 ; WR
133-134).
