Temple of Zeus

The Temple of Zeus was the largest ancient Greek temple at Cyrene, Libya, and one of the largest Greek temples ever built [1]. The original Doric octastyle peripteral temple was constructed around 500–480 BC, and heavily damaged in 115 AD [1]. Later in the century, it was partially rebuilt as a non-peripteral temple with a colossal cult statue [1]. It was destroyed once more in 365 AD by an earthquake and then burnt by Christians [1]. The external colonnade has eight fluted columns at the front and rear and seventeen columns on each of the long sides [1]. The first excavations were undertaken by Robert Murdoch Smith and E. A. Porcher in 1861 [1].