Every great city has its center. New York has Times Square. Boston has its Fanueil Hall marketplace, and London has its Piccadilly Circus. And Ancient Rome had its Forum Romanum. The Forum, which is the Latin word for "open space," was the administrative and corporate heart of Rome. Generally this word referred to the open space in any Roman town where business, judicial, civic, or religious activities were conducted. A typical forum might be surrounded by temples, shops, and basilicas. The Roman Forum, though, was designed by the architect Vitruvius. He felt that the proportions needed to be 3:2, the length being the 3. (Kent School District) For centuries, the Roman Forum was the site of the city's most important public buildings including the Arch of Septimius Severus, built in 203 BC and the Rostra or public speaking platforms. The reliefs on the triple arch represented many of Rome's victories over oriental tribes and the Rostra was decorated with warships captured during battles.
So-called “Sulla”, free copy (probably from th...
Roman forum, etching by Becchetti
English: Plan of Roman Forum with the Temple of Di...The Roman Forum became the spectacular showcase of the Empire filled with beautiful statues and architecture. (Kent School District) As beautifully filled as the Forum was, it was also used for the dirty deeds of Roman society such as prostitution, money lending, and politics. It was also used for commercial purposes at the Marketplace of Trajan, also known as the Forum Piscarium. Most importantly, though, it was used as a place for the praise of the Gods of Olympus at the Capitol and the Temple of Saturn. But The Forum was not always as we picture it, with its whitewashed temples and Octavian speaking at the Rostra. No. The Forum, like all the other places throughout history, has changed in the course of time. (Camden) With the progression of the Republic came the progression of the...