Theseum (redirected from Temple of Hephaestus)

Theseum

Temple in Athens dedicated to Hephaestus and Athena as patrons of the arts and crafts. Built c. 450 BC, it is slightly older than the Parthenon. Some of its sculptures represent the exploits of Theseus (the source of its traditional name), though reconstructed fragments of its ornamentation reveal that its theme was actually the apotheosis of Heracles. It is surrounded by a single row of Doric columns, with 13 at the sides and six at the ends. It is the world's best-preserved ancient Greek temple, largely because of its medieval conversion to a Christian church.