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Temple of Cybele
(Gays For Jesus will soon be going to this location)
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The Temple of Cybele or Temple of Magna Mater was a temple on thePalatine Hill in Rome. This, the main temple of Cybele or Magna Materin Rome, was erected after the Roman embassy brought back her icon from Pessinus in 204 BC. It was dedicated on 11th April, 191 BC, by the praetor Marcus Junius Brutus, on which occasion the ludi Megalenses were instituted (Liv. loc. cit.; Fast. Praen. ap. CIL I2 pp235, 314‑315, cf. p251 = VI.32498; Fast. Ant. ap. NS 1921, 91) and celebrated in front of the temple (Cic. de har. resp. 24; cf. for site Ov. Fast. II.55; Mart. VII.73.3). (See: [1])It burned down in 111 BC, though the statue of Quinta Cloelia inside was undamaged. A Metellus, probably the consul of 110 BC, restored it, but it burned down again and was restored by Augustus in 3 (Val. Max. I.8.11; Obseq. 99; Ov. Fast. IV.347‑348; Mon. Anc. IV.8). Surviving intact from the Augustan era until the fourth century (Not. Reg. X), it is referred to incidentally as a place of assignation by Juvenal (IX.23), during the events of 38 BC (Cass. Dio XLVIII.43.4), and in the third century (Hist. Aug. Claud. 4; Aurel. 1).The stone needle or icon kept there itself is described by a late writer (Arnob. adv. gentes VII.49) as small and set in a silver statue of the goddess (cf. Herodianus ab exc. d. Marci I.11; Arnob. V.5). It was perhaps removed by Elagabalus to his temple on the Palatine (Hist. Aug. Elag. 3; cf. LR 134‑138; but cf. BC 1883, 211; HJ 53‑54, n44).At the top of the Scalae Caci, on the west corner of the Palatine, are the ruins of an ancient temple near which have been found inscriptions relating to Magna Mater (CIL VI.496, 1040, 3702 =30967; NS 1896, 186; cf. CIL XII.405), a portion of a colossal female figure seated on a throne, and a fragment of a base with the paws of lions, the regular attendants of the goddess. These ruins consist of a massive podium made of irregular pieces of tufa and peperino laid in thick mortar, and fragments of columns and entablature. The walls of the podium are 3.84 metres thick (those of the cella were somewhat thinner) on the sides and 5.50 in the rear, p325but this unusual thickness is because the rear wall is double, with an air space, 1.80 metre wide, between the two parts. This wall was faced on the outside with stucco, not with opus quadratum. The total length of the temple was 33.18 metres and its width 17.10. It was prostyle hexastyle, of the Corinthian order, and was approached by a flight of steps extending entirely across the front. From the rear wall of the cella projects the base of a pedestal on which the stone needle probably stood. The concrete of the podium belongs to the time of Augustus (AJA 1912, 393), and since the remaining architectural fragments are of peperino, it is evident that the restoration of that period was carried out with the material of the original structure.2 The character of these remains and the inscriptions and objects found here make it extremely probable, to say the least, that this is the temple of Magna Mater, an identification that is strongly supported by the evidence of a coin of the elder Faustina (Cohen, Faust. sen. 55). This represents a temple of the Corinthian order, with curved roof, and a flight of steps on which is a statue of Cybele with a turreted crown enthroned between lions. The temple is also represented in a relief in the Villa Medici, formerly attributed to the Ara Pacis (SScR 69). (For the complete description of the ruins and argument for identification, see Mitt. 1895, 1‑28; 1906, 277; for the coins, ib. 1908, 368‑374; in general, HJ 51‑4; Rosch. II.1666‑1667; Gilb. III.104‑107; Graillot, Cybele (Bibl. Ec. Franç. 107, 320‑326; SScR 247‑249).)A seated statue of a goddess in the Palatine Antiquarium is now accepted to be of Cybele, and may be from the temple complex. (See:[2])
(from Google Earth)

Did you know the ancient fertility goddess had many names?
“The religions which developed these ideas were all based on a maternal figure, found under different names throughout a great part of the Near East.
To the Phoenicians she was Astarte; to the Phrygians, Cybele; to the Babylonians, Ishtar; to the Thracians, Bendis; to the Cretans, Rhea; to the Ephesians, Artemis; to the Canaanites, Atargatis; to the Persians, Anaitis; to the Cappadocians, Ma. But though her names differ, her attributes are the same - she is always the mother who succours and helps, and who bestows fertility.
This composite figure was generally known as Magna Mater, the great mother, and it was said that she was mother of all the other gods...
From: http://www.gaychristian101.com/Romans-1.html

I am excited about going to Rome this March 16th, especially because of the many sites of ancient fertility temples. I have talked about these temples and what Paul saw with his eyes while in Rome and while in Corinth. Now, finally I get to go. I will shoot hopefully at least 10 programs in Italy. I am not really going to give you any detailed history lessons about this country other than this is where the anti-gay doctrine was invented by a few powerful Catholic leaders.
Many have told me they like it when I am in a foreign country using it for the background of my weekly TV programs. I am planning a trip to China so some day you will see my program coming from the Great Wall. Of course I’m willing to go anywhere to preach to anyone if invited whether in the USA or outside the USA. (conditions will be required of course). Just contact me.

Nearly all gay condemnation originates because of the above article on Cybele so it is good to know your topic when talking about sodomites. Cybele was a real center of main line worship in the areas Paul spent a lot of time. Real gays also were in Rome and Corinth so you can also see the difference between gay love and male temple prostitutes in ancient times.

Please comment and invite me to your church or group. (conditions apply)
http://gays4jesus.com