Byzantine and Romanesque architecture . aul. Many of its remains are of very rudeworkmanship, but at Bath, where the Roman Thermaewere on a really magnificent scale, the architecture andits decoration are not inferior to the contemporary workof the later 2nd or 3rd century at Rome itself. Thetympanum of the temple (Plate CXXXIII), dedicated, itis supposed, to Sul-Minerva [Deae Suli Minei-vae), is veryirregularly composed. The helmet on one side, with thescalp of some wild beast drawn over it, would have beenill-balanced on the other by the little crouching humanfigure whose left hand holding a
Byzantine and Romanesque architecture . aul. Many of its remains are of very rudeworkmanship, but at Bath, where the Roman Thermaewere on a really magnificent scale, the architecture andits decoration are not inferior to the contemporary workof the later 2nd or 3rd century at Rome itself. Thetympanum of the temple (Plate CXXXIII), dedicated, itis supposed, to Sul-Minerva [Deae Suli Minei-vae), is veryirregularly composed. The helmet on one side, with thescalp of some wild beast drawn over it, would have beenill-balanced on the other by the little crouching humanfigure whose left hand holding a staff remains in front ofthe owls wing. Other miniature figures appear to havefilled the corners of the pediment, quite out of scale withthe large Victories that support the disc. But thoughthe tympanum does not reach a very high classic standardin point of composition or execution it is the work of nomean craftsman, and the great Corinthian capital whichbelongs to it is excellently modelled. Nothing nearly so RomanThermaeat Bath s 5:. H E c^ < CH. xxvi] ROMAN BRITAIN 179 S^ood was done in Britain duringf the next nine hundred Temple at , ^ Bath years \ The Roman buildings at Bath were no doubt wreckedby the Saxons, as well as those in other parts of theKingdom; but their ruins must have been for manysucceeding centuries sufficiently imposing to exciteadmiration. Giraldus Cambrensis describes the city of Caerleon- Caerieon-upon-Usk, the old Urbs legionum, and the centre of ^°Arthurian romance, as still retaining in 1188 much of itsRoman magnificence, though apparently in ruins. Hereyou may see, he says, many traces of former magnifi-cence ; immense palaces that once with gilded pinnaclesof their roofs imitated the splendour of Rome, havingbeen originally erected by Roman princes, and adornedwith fine buildings ; a gigantic tower; magnificent baths ;remains of temples, and places for theatrical shows, allenclosed by fine walls partly still standing. You willfind everywhere,
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