Rome

Colosseum

Forum

Trajan's Column

Circus Maximus

Ostia

Forum Romanum

The heart of ancient Rome was the forum. The forum was the political, legal, religious and commercial centre of the city from the Fifth Century B.C. onwards and contained law courts, government buildings, temples etc. The Forum Romanum was just one of a number of fora in the city but it was the oldest and most important. Victorious generals paraded their armies and their spoils through the forum. These generals, to further commemorate their victories, often rebuilt temples, shrines etc. in the forum itself.

The forum changed over time as subsequent leaders from Julius Caesar onwards began to add structures. Later Emperors even built their own fora in the neighbouring vicinity.

In 29 B.C. the temple of the deified Julius Caesar was constructed opposite the new Rostra in the eastern end of the forum. After major fires in 14 and 9 B.C. the temple of Castor and the Basilicas on the north and south sides were rebuilt, a new Senate House (Curia) was also erected. Triumphal arches linked the Temple of Julius to the Temple of Castor and the Temple of Saturn to the Basilica Julia etc.

The basilicas were used as law courts but they were also used for the numerous branches of the Imperial administration such as the imperial purse (fiscus), office of weights and measures, offices for the secretaries of certain leading political positions etc.