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It
can be considered a symbol of antiquity. It was the center
of the civic, juridical and economic life in Republican
times. It can be reached from the Capitoline hill going down
along Senators Building or behind the monument to king
Victor Emmanuel II and walking along Via dei Fori Imperiali.
It was very damaged by the barbaric invasions. In 1700 the
excavations brought out notable treasures of Romanic art. To
the right of its main entrance you can see the ruins of the
Basilica Emilia, erected in 179 B.C. The pavement of the
ancient street, called Argiletum, separates this basilica
from the Curia which was the Forum�s first civic center.
Just behind, you can see the arch of Septimius Severus,
built in 203 A.D. and still almost intact. It consists of
three arcades separated by white columns. Going on there are
the Rostra, that is to say, the tribunes from where Roman
Orators spoke. In front of the Rostra, you can admire the
Phocas column, raised in 608 in honor of the homonymous
emperor. Not far, there is the "Via Sacra", so called
because it was crossed by priests during the sacred
ceremonies; it preserves partly the original paving. Along
the street, on the right, there are the Basilica Julia, made
under Caesar, the temple of Saturn and the temple of
Dioscuris, erected in the B.C.. Besides, you can see the
temple of Vesta which has a circular plan and where a
perpetual fire, symbol of eternal Rome, used to burn. In
addition, you can notice the House of Vestals, where the
virgins taking care of the fire lived. Along the "Via
Sacra", on the left, there are the temple of Antoninus and
Faustina and the Basilica of Maxentius. The "Via Sacra"
ended near the Arch of Titus. |