Temple of Zeus at Cyrene

The Temple of Zeus at Cyrene is located on the northeastern hill of the city, near the modern village of Shahhat. Perhaps because of the bulk of its collapsed remains, this Temple has remained one of the least studied of all the great temples of the Hellenic world. The date of the building's construction is highly disputed, with some scholars arguing that the temple was built at some point in the 5th century, while others view its Archaic Doric design and style as an indicator that the Temple was in fact built in the 6th century. Jewish rebels destroyed the Temple in 115 AD, undercutting and overturning the columns of the surrounding peristasis, which were never re-erected.

The temple is most notable for its size and complexity. Measuring 70 by 32 meters, it was larger than the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, and its cella was surrounded by two rows of columns, with 8 columns in each row at the front and back and 17 along the sides. The temple also displays Doric refinements: for example, the Greek architects constructed the columns to lean slightly inwards, correcting some of the effects of perspective.