Built in 10 AD by the Galatian King Pylamenes as a tribute and sign of his fidelity to the Roman Emperor Augustus, the Temple of Augustus and Rome, also known as Monumentum Ancyranum, reminds visitors of Turkey's connections to ancient Rome. Though largely in ruins, the temple has a stoic beauty that transports visitors back to the archaic times of 2,000 years ago. The Temple of Augustus is especially famous for the inscription of the "Res Gestae Divi Augusti" (The Deeds of the Divine Augustus) on its walls.
According to legend, Augustus wrote this text before his death and ordered it to be inscribed on walls of important buildings throughout the Roman empire. The edition on these walls is the most complete version that still exists today. The text gives a first person account of Augustus's life and accomplishments, and reveals how he hoped to convey himself to his subjects.
