Roman Forum

As you come down from the hill of ruins and vegetation and shade you enter the Roman Forum, the "mainstreet" of Roman city life so to speak. Down the main road would run chariots, Roman citizens of all walks of life and there would be vendors lining both sides of the road. The large basalt stones were under a smoother layer at the time and the Romans were quite the road builders.

The area was originally marshlands which were cleared with an ingenious system during the reign of the last Etruscan kings (until 509BC). The Cloaca Maxima canal was constructed to drain off the land into the Tiber River.The area's central square, called Foro, was where the Romans would gather for meetings, trials and trade, the Forum was the center of life in Ancient Rome. Also in the Forum there were markets, temples, government buildings, stores and inns.
Several structures remain in the Forum from different periods in history. The 70 foot high Arch of Septimius Severus, (203AD) to commemorate the victory over the Parthians. Statues remain from the House of the Vestal Virgins (Atrium Vestae), which was a 3 story, 50 room residence which accommodated the virgin priestesses. Several of the original 20 Corinthian columns from the Temple of Vesta remain, built on a podium 15 meters in diameter. The Curia Julia was where the Senate would gather and the Curia which remains was constructed under Diocletian in 283AD.
The Rostra was a platform where speeches were made. The present platform was commissioned by Caesar and made out of marble.

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