The temple of Aphrodite was started in the 1st century BC probably under Augustus. Hellenistic mosaic fragments indicate the existence of an older temple in the same place. The temple was completed in the 2nd century AD, possibly during the reign of Hadrian.
In the 5th century it was extensively converted into a basilica, which was accompanied by a considerable enlargement. With the transformation of the temple into a church all traces of the Hellenistic building were erased.

According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty and sensual desire and one of the twelve canonical Olympic deities. In particular, she was revered as the patron saint of sexuality and reproduction, which ensured both the continuity of nature and the continuity of human communities. Its counterpart in Roman mythology is Venus.