534 
MERGE TO GYRENE. 
/ 
is, however, consistent with the character of the chmate ; for the rain 
falls very heavily, and almost incessantly, during the winter season 
at Cyrene ; and the unusual space given to the posticus would be 
found very serviceable to the inhabitants, particularly as the temple 
was somewhat removed from what may be called the inhabited part 
of the town. The same reasoning would apply equally in summer 
time, for the heat of Cyrene is at that period very great. An addi- 
tional motive for increasing the posticus so much beyond its usual 
dimensions would be found in the width of the ambulatory (which is 
regulated by that of the intercolumniations), for the systyle species is 
too contracted to afford much shelter on any occasion ; and we may 
probably assume, from the calculations above stated, that the temple 
in question was in fact of that species, although the intercolumniation 
could not otherwise be ascertained, on account of the encumbered 
and ruined state of the building, which we had no opportunity of 
excavating. 
We should mention that the walls of the mdes have decided 
returns of six feet both in front and rear of the temple, towards the 
two columns which range in a line with them ; they are about four 
feet and a half in thickness, and one of the stones of which they were 
composed measured fifteen feet in length. 
The smaller temple, like that which we have just described, was 
built upon a rising ground, and had the additional elevation of a 
very solid basement or substructure, considerably raised above the 
level of the summit of the hill, part of which (about four-and-twenty 
feet) has been left as a kind of terrace round the building. The 
