Ancient temples were central to the lives of the communities that erected them. Numerous coins minted during the Roman period, including these two examples, provided a means of broadcasting collective pride in local monuments, while honoring the gods to whom the structures were dedicated. A bronze coin
of the third century A.D. minted at Perga, located near the Mediterranean coast in modern-day Turkey, shows a temple facade on its reverse. Four Ionic columns, rising above a fenced barrier, support a triangular pediment in which an arch has been cut. An opening in the facade provides a view inside to the cult image of Artemis Pergaia, a strangely shaped statue whose armless, egg-shaped body is decorated with bands of relief. Although the representation is probably not entirely accurate, the coin does furnish valuable information about the appearance of Perga's most important temple, since no archaeological remains of it have yet been found.

The reverse of a gold coin struck at Rome is unusual in that it illustrates a temple in a locale far from where it was minted. This rare issue commemorates Emperor Caracalla's visit in A.D. 214 to the venerable sanctuary of the healing god Aesculapius (called Asklepios by the Greeks) at Pergamum (Pergamon) in Asia Minor. In the background, a three-quarter perspective shows both the side and the facade of the building. In front, Aesculapius stands on a platform, draped in a mantle and holding a staff encircled by a snake. The small figure holding a palm branch on the steps of the temple behind is his son, Telesphorus. Facing the god, the emperor, in military dress, makes an offering at an altar, accompanied by a second individual who wears a toga, the customary civic attire for Roman citizens.

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