Since many war-related proceedings occurred in the forum, it is no surprise that the Temple of Mars Ultor was built within the forum. Mars was a mythological Roman God that represented military might and war.  This temple was built for religious purposes in the hope that the Roman warriors would fight with the spirit of Mars himself. Augustus vowed the temple to Mars, seeking his help in avenging Caesar’s murder. Caesar was a well-liked ruler, so this also helped Augustus gain favor with those who were still mourning the loss of Caesar.  Furthermore, it was widely known that Caesar had originally intended to build this temple during his rule. Augustus’s completion of the Temple of Mars Ultor was also a strategic political statement to affirm himself as Caesar’s heir. Finishing this temple showed he was finishing Caesar’s work and continuing his lineage. Many important Roman officials initially doubted Augustus’s worthiness to be named Caesar’s heir. Augustus also went through a number of power struggles, most notably with Roman Senator Marc Antony, to finalize and secure his position. The statement of his building of the temple was therefore not only one regarding lineage, but also of victory. Reconstructions of the temple show that originally, the temple had a statue of the goddess Victory on top, signifying not only the success of Roman military, but also subtly hints at Augustus’s own rise to power. The pediment of the temple contains a sculptural program showing Mars himself, flanked with Venus and Romulus to his right and Fortuna to his left, representing Augustus’s success. Within the temple itself, it is believed that the sculptural group was Mars, flanked by Venus and deified Julius Caesar.

The Forum of Augustus served to buttress Augustus’s power due to its connection to Caesar and the divine through the temple and the Forum. But the Forum, in an essence, is a building used for public purposes. In building a forum, Augustus showed his commitment to improving public life, and therefore portraying himself as a man of the people, while still using this monument to buttress his claim to power.

Pictured here is the Temple of Mars Ultor, with the statue of the Goddess Victory on top. Image from http://www.uark.edu/ua/metis2/zanker/zanker_fig8.jpg