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The Forum Romanum or “The Roman Forum” can be found between Capitoline Hill and Palatine Hill and it represents one of the most phenomenal sites of archaeology on the planet. Even before the first century, The Roman Forum was well established as the center for culture and politics for the Roman Empire.

It is hard to imagine that the original Roman Forum was under construction for 300 years but by the 7th century BC, it was central to everything important that happened in Roman culture. It finally reached a completed state under the reign of Julius Caesar’s son Octavian, in the early first Century AD.

Called the Forum Magnum (or Great Forum) by many, the Roman Forum had a dozen temples, plenty of arches and a multitude of other structures. It was built on marsh land (drained, of course!) and provided a central location for Romans to conduct business, administration and socialise with each other.

After the infamous fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, the Roman Forum went into decay due to lack of upkeep. By the time the Middle Ages came along, farmers grazing their cattle on the site had little awareness of the significance of the site. It wasn’t until the Renaissance that historians discovered the Forum again. A project to restore and repair the Roman Forum was undertaken in the 18th century and that project is still active to this day.

But the restoration has been effective because walking around the vast complex of diverse structures, the glory of this facility can be appreciated.

Archaeologists have lovingly rebuilt and repaved the streets, and removed the growth and debris that centuries of neglect have left there. The transformation is so profound that it is open to the public to tour even today. But if you plan a trip to see the Roman Forum, you will not be able to get to see it all in one day. But even if you can only allocate one morning to seeing the site, you will come away with a sense of awe at the glory of the Roman Empire that is evident in this restored site.

A great example of the huge scale that the wealthy Roman Empire was capable of bringing to a project like this is the Temple of Venus and Roma. This temple is luxurious and massive because it was built specifically for Emperor Hadrian’s use. It is on a fabulous plateau from which you can see the Roman Colosseum in the distance.

Just as impressive is the Temple of Concord. In 367 this temple that was dedicated to peace took its place in the western quadrant of the Forum. At the peak of the Forum’s glory, this temple was full of expensive statues made of silver and gold. Even after restoration today, it is striking evidence of the skills and abilities of the Roman builders.

There are literally dozens of fascinating buildings to see, including the Temples to Saturn, Pollux and Castor on the grounds of the Forum. These beautiful temples, along with many other useful buildings of the Forum, are a testimony not only to the vision of Rome but to the ability of the Roman people to carry out large projects such as this one.

The arches that were invented by the Romans and that lined the streets and passageways of the Forum were so innovative that their design was not improved upon for many centuries. Look for the Arch of Titus as well as the Arch of Septimus Severus to give you a feel for the amazing design of these arches.

The Roman Forum was also a place for political dialog and The Rostra was a perfect place for a Roman politician to state his case. If you stand under the Rostra, you can get a feel for what it was like to live in those times. Along with temples, many shrines such as the Lapis Niger (or Black Stone) and the Via Sacra demonstrate the creative imagination that Roman builders were capable of bringing to a project.

To say you have really experienced Rome means that you have set aside some time to visit this amazing area of cultural life and inspect the amazing structures at the Roman Forum. As you stroll the walkways and take it all in, it may give you pause to reflect on all that man can achieve and all that can be lost just as easily.

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