Among the Roman buildings in Eleusis is a temple perched on the rock above the Telesterion, near which the Panagia Mesosporitissa church was later built. Referred to as “Temple L110” or the “Temple of the Roman Empress”, its exact dedication remains unclear due to a lack of definitive evidence.

The temple was accessible via a grand staircase, constructed with a composite of coarse sand, lime, and brick fragments, a method typical of Roman imperial architecture. The building’s foundation involved levelling the rock, yet a notable part of it was left intact along the lower side of the western wall, giving an impression of the temple being an extension of the natural rock formation. Furthermore, the western side incorporated stones from the diateichisma, the wall that demarcated the sacred temenos from the urban area.

Archaeological remnants include the temple’s foundations, the entrance threshold and the bases of the stone frame of the entrance. Notably absent, however, is any trace of a pedestal for a deity statue. The interior walls were lined with marble, and the flooring comprised large rectangular stone slabs, portions of which have endured. The substantial wall thickness suggests a vaulted roof once covered the temple.

Examining the temple’s features offers clues to its identity and function. Its modest size and shallow pronaos diverge from the typical grandeur of Roman temples. Its south-to-north orientation is unusual for Greek religious architecture, which traditionally faces east. Additionally, despite significant alterations to the rock, the temple is not in direct alignment with the cliff in front. These observations hint at a connection with “Temple F”, and support the theory that both temples were dedicated to Sabina and Faustina, the “New Demeters”.

Sabina, Emperor Hadrian’s wife, was honoured by the Greeks as a “New Demeter”, suggesting “Temple F”, located prominently beside the Sacred Way, might have been built to pay tribute to her. Faustina the Elder, wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius and deified by his successor Marcus Aurelius, might be the dedicatee of the temple above the Telesterion. Marcus Aurelius, known for his extensive building projects in Eleusis, likely constructed this temple in Faustina’s honour, especially following the reconstruction of the Telesterion after the Costoboci’s raid in 170 CE. “Temple L110”, situated within the sacred precinct but atop the cliff, occupies a strategic location, ensuring it did not overshadow the existing temple dedicated to the deified Empress Sabina.