ABSTRACT
A distinction between secular and religious architecture in the East is largely artificial. Nowhere is a region's individuality expressed more than in its religion. In the religious architecture of the Roman East we probably see more regional differences from mainstream Roman architecture than in any other area. Cities in the East were usually dominated by a single, large temple complex to its patron god. Religion and holy cities were a major part of the entire urban fabric. The temple compound to its patron god usually takes up a major quarter in an eastern city. The peak of construction coincided with the great increase in wealth and building activity of the second century. The sanctuary was merely the residence of the deity, while outside in the enclosure was where the sacrifices to its honour took place and where mass worship was performed. Numerous comparisons have been drawn between eastern Roman temples and those in the West.
