A Secular Temple: The Pantheon in Rome as a Representation of the Contradictions of Roman Imperial Architecture.
This paper will argue that the "reading" of the Pantheon as an embodiment of Roman architectural values is problematic at best. It will be seen that while it embodies distinctive features of Roman architectural design, in many respects the Pantheon's design also seems to reflect a sense of "play" not normally associated with Roman culture. A complex of contradictions that may be said to mirror its builder, the cosmopolitan Hadrian, and his empire at its height. 8.5 pgs. 14 f/c. 5b.