Cicero described the oracle at the Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia at Praeneste (Palestrina, Italy, in today's world); a popular destination for devotees of the Goddess Fortuna over a period of hundreds of years, and for countless generations of mothers who sought predictions for their babies in ancient times.
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| 3d computer model of the Temple complex as it would have been at its peak. |
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| Travelling the basalt Roman road to and from the temple complex and forum marketplace. |
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| Welcome! |
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| Wine, lamp oil, foodstuffs and incense were unloaded in amorphae to be hauled up the service ramps to the Forum for sale and use in the ceremonies and rites of Dea Fortuna Primigenia. |
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| A long climb to the shrine. |
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| The traffic in front of the temple could be quite busy during the day with merchants getting their stocks in, and priestesses/priests receiving their deliveries. |
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| The ascent! |
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| This ramp is one of three routes to the top, and serves as an alternative to the covered ramp at the front of the complex, and is mainly used by merchants and traders. |
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| Staircase to the next level. |
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| Further up to ascend! |
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| This level has a row of sculpture niches. Note the torcheres for night ceremonies. |
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| The terraces. |
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| The stairs to higher up the terraces. |
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| The way the Sanctuary probably looked over 2000 years ago illuminated by torcheres. |
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| An aerial view of the temple illuminated as it probably looked in ancient times. |
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| A view by day, showing the torcheres used to light the temple up. |
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| Ascending up the steps during the rites of Dea Fortuna Primigenia towards the forum, now adorned with red. |
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| Ascend! |
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| The temple complex adorned with red banners for sacred rites to Fortuna, the Goddess of Fate, and Prosperity. |
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| The top of the complex, next to the sacred shrine of the Goddess Fortuna Primigenia where her statue was housed. |
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Reconstruction of the temple of Fortuna Primigenia at Palestrina by Pietro da Cortona (1596 to 1669 CE), public domain image |
Resources
Virtual Tour provided with the permission of 3d model and virtual tour creator, Darren / Logan5Ariel
australis.www2.50megs.com/Fortuna/1.html
atlasobscura.com/places/sanctuary-of-fortuna-primigenia
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Temple_of_Fortuna_-_Cortona.jpg