ROMAN FORUM
Email: TBeckel1@comcast.net
Boca Raton, Florida
Overlooking the Roman Forum or "government buildings of ancient Rome"
The Roman Forum served as a city square and central hub where the people of Rome gathered for justice, and faith
The Old Republic had its formal Comitium there where the senate, as well as Republican government began
A cobblestone walkway from the Coliseum to the Roman Forum
Arch of Titus at the entrance of the Roman Forum constructed by emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his older brother Titus in AD 41
The Roman Forum was also the economic hub of the city and considered to be the center of the Republic and Empire
A view of the Coliseum from the Roman Forum
Located between the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Hill of the city of Rome
The area of the forum was originally a grassy wetland which was drained in the 7th century BC
From the Forum overlooking the Coliseum
The second king, Numa Pompilius, is said to have begun building its house and temple as well as the Regia as the city's first royal palace
During the Middle Ages its monuments were for the most part buried under debris
Later Tullus Hostilius erected the Curia and enclosed the Comitium
In 600 BC Tarquinius Priscus had the area paved for the first time
The return of Pope Urban V from Avignon in 1367 led to an increased interest in ancient monuments
Artists from the late 15th century drew the ruins in the Forum, antiquaries copied inscriptions in the 16th century
Tentative excavation was begun in the late 18th century
The ruins within the forum clearly show how urban spaces were utilized during the Roman Age
Regia was originally the residence of the kings of Rome
The area began to develop at the end of the 7th century BC
Remains from several centuries are shown together, due to the Roman practice of building over earlier ruins
It was only in the 18th century that the Forum was rediscovered and the process of the recovery of the ancient ruins started
An ancient fountain found inside one of the government buildings
The Forum was the heart and soul of city life
Here the masses would flock to see the meetings of the orators and attend criminal trials
Once marshland, a canal that is still in function to this day allowed for the drainage of the land
In Caesar's time, the Forum became a place for celebrations and in the Imperial era it was the symbol of the Empire
During the Middle Ages, the Forum fell into a state of ruin and was abandoned
The Roman Forum is situated in the area between Piazza Venezia and the Coliseum
A typical example of a structure built ontop of ruins
The sun setting over the ruins of what was once a Regia or palace
The largest buildings were the basilicas, where legal cases were heard
In the area around the Forum, the city was also home to markets, shops and taverns
You could also find the typical Termopolia, which were the ancient equivalent of today's fast food restaurants
An incredible invention of engineering known as the "Cloaca Maxima" or sewer system was built to drain this land
Strolling through the Piazza Venezia
Please report any broken links to Webmaster
Allow a few minutes for all of the thumbnail photos to load. Then simply click on the first thumbnail and a large image box will appear which will allow you to view all the photos in that row on a larger scale.
Website designed by Tami Beckel for Seashells by the Seashore, LLC
