For a thousand years, the Roman Forum was the epicenter of the Roman Empire. This symbolic center, known as the ‘umbilicus Romae’ housed the ‘miliarium aureum’, the golden milestone from which all distances were measured. The Forum, initially a marshy valley used as a cemetery, evolved into a political, economic, and religious hub as Rome grew. Drained and paved in the 7th century BC, it became the site of monumental structures like the Regia and the Temple of Vesta.
The Forum’s transformation continued under Julius Caesar and Augustus. Caesar reoriented the Forum, adding new structures, while Augustus rebuilt key buildings, shifting its focus from economic activity to imperial celebration. Subsequent emperors followed suit, enhancing the Forum’s grandeur with structures such as the Arch of Septimius Severus and the Temple of Concordia Augusta.
Throughout late antiquity, the Forum saw significant reconstruction, notably the Temple of Saturn and the Curia Julia. The Curia Julia, completed by Augustus and rebuilt after a fire in 283 AD, served as the imperial senate house. By the late Roman Empire, the Forum’s significance had diminished, becoming more of a historical relic.
The last major addition was the Column of Phocas in the 7th century. The Forum remained largely intact until the earthquakes of the 9th century and the Norman sack of 1084, after which it was buried and became known as Campo Vaccino. Despite its decline, the Forum’s legacy as the heart of ancient Rome endures, offering a glimpse into the city’s illustrious past.
Top image: Remains of the oldest Forum building, the Temple of Saturn. Source: Yasonya / Adobe Stock
