The Romans built some large and impressive temples (the largest are found at Baalbek in modern-day Lebanon), but the oldest temples were smaller. The oldest surviving Roman temple is the small circular Temple of Hercules Victor (that looks something like the Temple of Vestal in the Roman Forum, where the Vestal Virgins kept the eternal flame).

The Temple of Hercules Victor is not as grand or well-preserved as The Pantheon (perhaps the grandest more or less fully preserved Roman temple). The Pantheon is also considered the oldest building in Rome still in use. Still, the Temple of Hercules Victor offers a glimpse into the period of the Roman Republic.