Temple of Bellona

The Temple of Bellona was an ancient site in Rome, Italy, located in the Campus Martius, outside the city's gates. It was dedicated to Bellona, the Roman goddess of war, who was sometimes considered the sister or wife of Mars. This temple served as a significant location where the Senate would convene to discuss generals' claims for triumphs and to receive foreign ambassadors. In front of the temple stood the columna bellica, where the fetiales, a group of priestly officials, performed the ceremony to declare war. The term templum originally referred to a consecrated area of land, which later evolved to include shrines and temples, with construction in Rome identified from around 575 BCE onwards.123