Cette étude vise à analyser une série d’édifices connus sous le nom de « temples à foyer central » en Égée, à Chypre et au Levant, de la fin de l'Âge du Bronze à l'Archaïsme. Il s'agit essentiellement d' une étude architecturale et artefactuelle portant sur un type de construction souvent interprété comme l'habitat des élites durant la période dite des « Âges obscurs ». La présence d'un foyer-autel, comme point focal du culte, au sein de ces constructions, invite à considérer qu'ils ont un rôle non négligeable dans la genèse du temple grec. D’un bout à l’autre de notre cadre d’étude, ces édifices témoignent de salles de banquets destinées aux rituels des élites, dont l’action centrale réside dans la pratique du sacrifice animal. Ces pièces, souvent multifonctionnelles à plus d’un titre, donnent naissance aux premiers « temples des citoyens » dans le contexte des poleis crétoises. Ces testimonia se trouvent ici répertoriés dans un catalogue exhaustif, prenant en compte également les objets qui y étaient associés. La réflexion s’organise autour d’une première partie qui permet de remettre en question la nomenclature qui sert à l’analyse de ces monuments, avant de traiter la question des antécédents de cette forme architecturale à la fin de l’Âge du bronze pour chaque aire géographique concernée. Le chapitre suivant examine la dimension symbolique du feu dans ces civilisations, incarné dans l’Antiquité grecque par Hestia, la déesse du foyer, ainsi que son rôle sur le plan des institutions politiques (andreia, prytanées, etc.). La question des phénomènes d’influences, de syncrétismes religieux entre ces différentes régions de la Méditerranée est explorée dans le chapitre suivant, tant sur le plan de la culture matérielle (exotica, influences architecturales) que des croyances religieuses. Enfin un chapitre synthétise l’ensemble des données et des problématiques architecturales liées à ces édifices, auquel correspond une série de tableaux. / The aim of this study is to investigate a series of edifices found in the Aegean, on Cyprus and in the East dating from the end of the Bronze Age through to the Archaic Period and collectively referred to as ‘Hearth Temples’. The study is centered on an evaluation of the architecture and artefacts relating to a type of building often thought to have constituted elite housing from the so- called Dark Ages. The presence of a hearth/altar in the centre of these constructions, which served as a religious focal point, suggests that they played a significant role in the genesis of the Greek temple. Within the timeframe of this study, these buildings display banquet halls designed for elite rituals and in which the main activity was the practice of animal sacrifice. These rooms, often serving multiple functions, gave rise to the first ‘citizen temples’ within the context of Cretan poleis. The relevant testimonia are listed here in an exhaustive catalogue that also takes into account relevant object finds. The first part of the study concerns itself with a re- evaluation of the nomenclature associated with these monuments, before analyzing the antecedents to this type of architecture at the end of the Bronze Age and for each of the geographical regions in question. The following chapter questions the symbolic dimension of fire in these civilizations, incarnated in Greek antiquity by Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, as well as by her role in political institutions (andreia, prytaneis etc.). In the next chapter, the mutual influence these different Mediterranean regions had on each other is explored, both in terms of material culture (exotica, architectural influence) and in terms of religious beliefs (religious syncretism). The final chapter brings together all of the findings and summarizes the architectural problems associated with these buildings, for which a series of tables is also included.

Colonie grecque, Apollonia d’Illyrie (Albanie), a connu à l’époque romaine des phases de construction et d’aménagement importantes. En témoigne le centre monumental qui a fait l’objet de fouilles et de dégagements sous la direction du français Léon Rey au début du XXe siècle. Après la seconde guerre mondiale, les équipes albanaises ont poursuivi les recherches archéologiques et ont réalisé les restaurations et les présentations actuelles. Le centre monumental est organisé autour de deux édifices principaux, l’odéon et le monument des agonothètes. Ces lieux d’assemblée attestent du caractère public de ce secteur de la ville comme le fait un arc de triomphe légèrement postérieur. Des boutiques témoignent d’une fonction commerciale annexe. L’aspect religieux est illustré par un temple ionique, entouré d’un portique, associé à un bâtiment nommé usuellement "prytanée", et par un petit sanctuaire. Enfin, un édifice de plan carré peut être soit une bibliothèque soit un Augusteum. Après l’analyse des vestiges accessibles et de la documentation, une approche des fonctions des différents monuments et les renvois aux éléments comparatifs des hypothèses de restitutions sont proposées puis transposées en images de synthèse. Elles sont ensuite assemblées en une vision globale du centre monumental romain, dans son état du début du IIIe siècle ap. J.-C. Dans l’attente de l’achèvement des recherches sur l’agora, localisée à quelques centaines de mètres, cet ensemble pourrait être un complexe architectural dédié au culte impérial dont l’importance aurait attiré, dans le courant du IIe siècle, le bouleuterion que prudemment on désigne encore comme "monument des agonothètes". / During the Roman period, “Apollonia of Illyria”, a greek settlement in Albania, knew several phases of construction and development. This is demonstrated by the study of the monumental center which was the object of excavations supervised by a French archaeologist Léon Rey at the beginning of the XXth century. After World War II, Albanian teams pursued the researches. They realized the restorations and the current presentations. The monumental center is organized around two main buildings, the Odeon and the “monument of Agonothetes”. These meeting places give evidence of the public character of this part of the city, just like the existence of a triumphal arch built later on. Shops also prove the commercial function of this place. Then, the religious function is illustrated by an ionic temple surrounded by a portico associated with a building named “prytaneum’ and by a small sanctuary. Finally, a square building is either a library or an “augusteum”. After an analysis of the visible vestiges and documentation, a report on the functions of the various monuments and a presentation of the comparative elements, the hypothesis of reconstructions will be proposed and transposed into computer-generated images. They will be assembled in a global vision of the roman monumental center at the beginning of the third century. Researches concerning the agora, localized a few hundred meters further, are not achieved yet but this place could be an architectural complex dedicated to imperial cult. During the second century, its importance could have attracted the bouleuterion that remains, for the moment, named as “monument of Agonothetes”. / Kolonia greke e Apolonisë së Ilirisë, në Shqipëri, ka njohur faza të rëndësishme ndërtimi dhe riorganizimi urban në periudhën romake. Këtë e dëshmon qendra monumentale që ka qenë pikësynimi i gërmimeve dhe zbulimeve të kryera nën drejtimin e francezit Leon Rei, në fillim të shekullit të XX. Pas Luftës së II Botërore, ekipet shqiptare kanë vazhduar nxjerrjen në dritë të saj, si dhe kanë realizuar restaurimet dhe pamjet që shohim sot. Qendra monumentale është organizuar rreth dy godinave kryesore, odeoni dhe monumenti i Agonotetëve. Këto vende mbledhjesh dëshmojnë për karakterin publik të kësaj zone të qytetit, ashtu si dhe një hark triumfi pak më i vonshëm. Dyqanet dëshmojnë për një funksion tregtar aneks. Aspekti religjioz ilustrohet me praninë e një tempulli jonik, të rrethuar me një portik, dhe që lidhet me një godinë të ashtuquajtur prytaneum, si dhe me një faltore e vogël. Së fundmi, një ndërtesë në formë katrore mund të jetë ndoshta një bibliotekë apo augusteum. Në përfundim të studimit të rrënojave të dukshme dhe të dokumentacionit përkatës, parashtrohet trajtimi i funksioneve të monumenteve të ndryshme dhe i elementeve krahasuese të rimëkëmbjes hipotetike të tyre, që më tej transformohen në paraqitjet e informatizuara. Më pas, të gjithë elementët janë bashkuar në një pamje gjithëpërfshirëse të qendrës monumentale romake, ashtu siç paraqitej ajo në fillimin e shek. III të e. sonë. Në pritje të përfundimit të kërkimeve në agora, e cila gjendet vetëm disa qindra metra larg, ky ansambël duket të ketë qenë një kompleks arkitekturor që i kushtohej kultit perandorak, rëndësia e të cilit do të tërhiqte përgjatë shek. II të e. sonë buleterionin, që ende në mënyrë të kujdesshme emërtohet si “monumenti i Agonotetëve”.