The Roman Forum is one of the famous landmarks in Italy. But over the centuries, the most important state issues were resolved here and all spheres of activity of Roman society were concentrated.
History and meaning
The Roman Forum was the main city square of ancient Rome. Even before the emergence of the republic, the marshland was drained, and gradually trading shops, places for performances and religious ceremonies began to appear here.
Over time, the forum has become the focus of social, commercial, political and cultural life. Foro Romano is a unique phenomenon in world culture. Even in ancient Greece, there was nothing like this. In Rome, for centuries, the archaic ideals of the community remained very strong, hence the indissoluble fusion of all spheres of activity - culture, religion and state affairs.
In the 1st century BC, specialized forums were founded for the sale of vegetables or meat. In the future, almost every emperor considered it necessary to build his own forum - even larger and richer than all the previous ones. But the Roman Forum at this time continues to play an important role, and not only as a revered ancient shrine. Life was still in full swing here, monuments in honor of military valor, public buildings and temples were erected.
With the advent of Christianity, ancient religious buildings were rebuilt into churches - the forum continued to live. And only the Middle Ages turned out to be truly "dark" for the forum, as well as for the whole of Rome. The city fell into desolation, cattle grazed on the forum and they called it Campo Vassino - a cow field.
Since the 15th century, the popes have set themselves the goal of returning the Eternal City to its former greatness, and the ancient monuments of the forum begin to be used as building materials. And only in the 19th century, excavations began, which gradually turned the forum into one of the most famous sights of the Italian capital - a real museum of the history and culture of ancient Rome.
Monuments of the Forum
The Roman Forum does not have a clear planning scheme. Many structures were built, destroyed and rebuilt over the centuries. Perhaps the only organizing element is Via Sacra - the Sacred Road, which ran through the entire forum.
The most ancient structures on the forum include the altar of the fire god Vulcan, the remains of the sanctuary of Venus, the foundation of Regia - the royal apartments and the mysterious Black Stone. This is a marble slab that covers a stele with the oldest inscription in Latin. According to legend, the founder of the city, Romulus, or one of the ancient kings, was buried at this place.
Monuments of the republican period have not survived in their original form, they were all rebuilt. Three Corinthian columns remained from the temple of the Dioscuri brothers and the temple of Vespasian. From the Temple of Saturn - eight Ionic granite. The temple, dedicated to Emperor Antonin Pius, was rebuilt in the 17th century into the Church of St. Lawrence.
The Curia is on the forum, the Senate gathered here. The one that can be seen today was built during the imperial period. Another unusual monument is Tabulariy. In 78 BC, it was designed by the architect Lucius Cornelius. In fact, only the supporting vaults of the foundation belong to the republican time. Tabular is a state archive, for the first time it appeared in the hands of the Romans.
One of the most ancient cults of the Romans is the cult of the goddess Vesta, and this is not surprising - she kept the hearth. The forum contains the remains of her circular temple. Nearby are the ruins of the House of Vestals - the priestesses of the goddess. From the house there was an atrium with a reservoir and 12 partially preserved statues of the famous servants of Vesta.
Perhaps one of the best-preserved monuments is the Arch of Septimius Severus. This is a triumphal structure designed to glorify the emperor and preserve the memory of his victories in Mesopotamia for centuries. The arch has three spans and is completely covered with sculptural decor.
How to view
In order to see the Roman Forum, you need to go to the capital of Italy. It is located in the very center of the city, this is an area next to the famous Palatine and the Capitol. The exact address is Via della Salaria Vecchia, 5/6. It is not difficult to navigate in Rome, there are many tourist maps and schemes, even without knowing the language you can figure out how to get there. The closest metro station to the Roman Forum is Colosseo. To get to the forum you need to walk past the Colosseum. Opening hours vary depending on the season, but always start at 8.30 am. On some days, opening hours may change - the first day of the New Year, Christmas (Catholic), the Friday before Easter, the Day of the Proclamation of the Republic (June 2).
