For practical reasons, we have divided the Roman Forum (Foro romano) into two sections: west and east. There are several ways to enter the site. You can enter the site via the Via dei Fori Imperiali, which makes it easier to find your way around the complex tangle of ruins.
You’ll first explore the oldest part, to the west, then continue along via Sacra to discover the rest. The site can also be reached via Clivus Capitolinus, which winds its way down from the Palazzo Senatorio to the Capitoline Hill, offering a magnificent panoramic view.
If you choose to take via Clivus Capitolinus, you’ll admire eight tall granite columns with Ionic capitals as you descend. They belong to the pronaos or portico of the Temple of Saturn (Tempio di Saturno). Built in the early days of the Republic, it was restored in the 3rd century after a fire.
It was here that the public treasury was kept. According to Roman tradition, Saturn ruled Lazio after being driven from Olympus by Jupiter. This god is said to have taught agriculture to the Romans, who celebrated him for seven days in December, during the Saturnalia, when all freedoms were allowed. The inscription engraved on the architrave, "Senatus Populusque Romanus" (The Senate and the Roman people), still appears today in initials (SPQR) on manhole covers and buses in the Eternal City.
Here we are in the Forum just behind the Rostra, the term used to designate the tribunes where the speakers spoke. The open, rectangular area extending from the Rostra, marked by a metal barrier, delimits the area of the Forum accessible to the public. On each of its sides stand the remains of a basilica, completed by the temple of Caesar. Some 120 m long and 50 m wide, the Forum symbolized the open spirit of democracy. For centuries, it was home to Rome’s three sacred trees: the fig, olive and vine.
Covered in travertine during the reign of Augustus, the first emperor, during the Empire it was filled with columns, triumphal arches and even an equestrian statue of Domitian, of which the plinth remains. In the center, the column of Phocas (Colonna di Foca) was erected in 608, in tribute to the eponymous Byzantine emperor. This is the last monument erected on the site, but the column comes from an earlier building. This type of reuse was to increase with the decline of the Empire.
Near the Phocas column stands the Arco di Septimio Severo (Arch of Septimius Severus) with its three elegant arches. It was erected in 203 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the emperor’s reign and his victory (and that of his sons, Geta and Caracalla) over the Parthians. Its proportions make it one of the most harmonious of its kind.
Note, in particular, the Barbarian statues on the column bases, which seem to support the entire weight of the monument. Pass under the arch and take the short descent. Immediately to your left is a small enclosure protected by a metal gate and paved with blue-grey limestone.
Below, stands the Lapis Niger or black stone (actually a black marble paving) which marks the site of a very ancient tomb, perhaps that of Romulus, unless it’s a small sanctuary dedicated to Vulcan, the god of fire and metals, one of the oldest in the Roman Pantheon. In any case, it bears a Latin inscription from the 6th century BC, the earliest known.
Right next door looms the Curie (Curia), seat of the Senate, built under Julius Caesar, then rebuilt by Diocletian in 283 following a fire. Converted into a Christian church in the 7th century, it is in an excellent state of preservation. Its original bronze doors are now housed in St. John Lateran. The ones you see on site are a copy. The marble pavement features beautiful polychrome geometric motifs, an example of opus sectile laying. The senators set up their curule chairs on the wide bleachers, on one side or the other depending on their opinions of the day.
Continue your visit along Via Sacra. The Emilian Basilica (Basilica Aemilia), on your left, was built in 179 BC as a court of law. It featured a wide central nave and two smaller aisles. On the other side of the Forum, the Basilica Julia (Basilica Giulia), the second court of the Republic, was rebuilt several times following fires. Under the Empire, it housed the Centumvirs court. The latter judged civil cases, and in particular inheritance issues. On its steps, plaintiffs waiting their turn carved checkerboards on which they played chess-like games.
General view of the Roman Forum
The columns on the façade of the Basilica Julia, which served as the Palace of Justice
The Arch of Titus, erected by Emperor Domitian in 81 AD.
The Arch of Septimius Severus and the Roman Curia
“ The forum is where the Romans always meet.
It is thus a place of popular sovereignty
for urban sociability. ”
On the east side of the Basilica Julia are the three graceful Corinthian columns in Paros marble of the temple of the Dioscuri (Tempio dei Dioscuri), the twins Castor and Pollux, sons of Jupiter.
It was built in 484 and rebuilt several times. Legend has it that these two brothers helped the Romans against the Latins during the battle of Lake Reglia (circa 496 BC). They then watered their white steeds at the Juturne fountain next to the temple.
The Temple of Caesar (Tempio di Cesare) was erected in 29 BC by Augustus. It stands on the site where the dictator was cremated after his assassination by Brutus in 44 BC. Mark Antony‘s funeral oration so moved the populace that it was decided not to burn the body on the Field of Mars, as was the tradition, but in front of the Regia, now in total ruin.
The latter was the residence of Pontifex Maximus, the highest religious dignitary in ancient Rome (the title of "Supreme Pontiff" later fell to the popes). According to legend, Romulus’ successor, Numa Pompilius, founder of Roman religion, lived here.
Although controversial, Caesar’s divinization was emulated, and some emperors even established their own cult during their lifetime. In any case, all that remains of the temple are a few evocative remains. They do, however, afford a fine view of the western part of the forum, with the imposing Tabularium in the background.
To visit this part of the forum, walk past the Temple of Caesar towards the Arch of Titus, then follow the Via Sacra through groves of cypress and laurel trees. Walk along the left side of the temple and stop in front of the steps (on your left) of the temple of Antoninus and Faustina (Tempio d’Antonino e Faustina), whose massive colonnade dominates a podium. It was erected in 141 by Antoninus on the death of his wife, then dedicated to the cult of the late emperor before being transformed into a Christian church. Note the inscription "Divo Antonino" on the entablature above the columns, an addition to the original dedication.
On your right, on the other side of the jumble of remains of the Regia, you’ll see the Temple of Vesta (Tempio di Vesta), goddess of domestic fire, and the House of the Vestals and its Atrium, home to the six priestesses guardians of the sacred fire. The ancient temple was rebuilt by Septimius Severus in the early 3rd century.
Its unusual circular shape is said to have been inspired by primitive huts with a burning hearth at their center. The cult of Vesta was of prime importance in Rome, where it symbolized the religious unity of the city. It lasted until the 4th century, even after the establishment of Christianity as the state religion.
Chosen around the age of six-eight from among the daughters of patricians, the vestals served for thirty years. They enjoyed enormous prestige, almost equivalent to that of the women of the imperial family. On the other hand, they had to preserve their virginity or risk being buried alive. The size of their residence (around 50 rooms) gives an idea of the comfort in which they lived. The immense atrium, embellished by three large basins, was surrounded by a colonnade and a two-storey building.
Back on Via Sacra and slightly further on, the small, circular Temple of Romulus (Tempio di Romolo) may have served as the vestibule of Vespasian’s Temple of Peace, now replaced by the Basilica Sainti Cosma e Damiano. The bronze door leaves date back to the 4th century and are still in perfect working order.
The apse of the basilica is adorned with a superb 6th-century mosaic, a rare example of the late antique style, combining Roman naturalism with early Byzantine contributions. It depicts Christ blessing in the company of saints Como, Damian, Peter and Paul. Below, between the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, twelve sheep represent the apostles.
The huge basilica of Maxentius or Constantine (Basilica di Massenzio o di Costantino) is the Forum’s most impressive monument. Its central nave was 35 m high. It was begun by Maxentius in 306-312 and completed by Constantine, after his victory over the latter at the Milvian Bridge in 312 and his accession to the throne. The colossal statue of Constantine, pieces of which are on display in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori, stood here.
As you continue up the Via Sacra, you’ll come across large steps leading to a vast open area. These steps are the only remains of the two temples built under Hadrian in the 2nd century, and rebuilt under Maxentius following a fire.
The Temple of Rome (Tempio di Rompa) overlooked the Forum, and the Temple of Venus (Tempio di Venere), the Colosseum. They were connected by an apse. The Church of St. Francis of Rome, also known as Santa Maria Nova (Santa Francesca Romana), was built on the foundations of the Roman temple. Its pretty cloister, now transformed into the Museum of Antiquities (Antiquarium Forense), contains fragments of marble from various excavations. Its rooms contain funerary urns, glassware and ceramics, as well as several Roman skeletons. Entrance to the church is via dei Fori Imperiali.
Further on, the Via Sacra leads to the Arch of Titus (Arco ti Tito), completed in 81, after the emperor’s early death, to celebrate his victory in Palestine and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70. It is adorned with magnificent bas-reliefs, including an apotheosis of Titus, showing an eagle carrying the emperor’s soul into the afterlife. The bas-relief under the south side of the arch depicts his triumphant return to Rome accompanied by slaves and the spoils of Solomon’s temple (note the menorah or seven-branched candlestick). Until the founding of Israel in 1948, Jews in Rome refrained from passing under the arch.
The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
A paved driveway
Santa Francesca Romana church
5 March 2016
Enter the Colosseum or Colosseo, the majestic and famous amphitheatre where spectacular and often brutal games and shows were held in Roman times. Underneath the arena, a network of tunnels secretly and efficiently carried important figures, gladiators, and ferocious wild animals
4 March 2017
With its heritage, its mild and sunny climate, Rome attracts millions of travelers every year. Rome, a city that has long dominated the “civilized world”, contains a thousand and one testimonies of its very rich past. Download our French guide to Rome in PDF!
23 April 2016
The origins of the Vatican Museums can be traced back to Julius II, who in 1503 had ancient works deposited in the courtyard of the Belvedere Palace. Popes Clement XIV and Pius VI contributed to their development and glory. The 1,400 rooms of the museum have been constantly enriched to this day.
