Roman temple. Cutaway artwork showing the typical form of a Roman temple. Guards are shown at the steps leading up to the columns at the entrance portico. Wooden beams and clay tiles form the main part of the roof. Inside, idols are seen on and behind the main altar. The Romans worshipped many gods in the period from the 6th century BC until the conversion to Christianity in the 4th century AD. This is the Maison Carree, in Nimes, France, one of the best preserved examples of a Roman temple. It was built in around 16 BC, and is an example of Vitruvian architecture. It was dedicated to two heirs of Augustus, Gaius Caesar and Lucius Caesar, who died young.