The Roman Forum, Rome, Italy

Sunday, May 28, 2017

The Forum is right next door to the Colosseum (and covered by the same ticket). These few acres of land — arguably the most important piece of real estate in Western civilization — were the ancient center for politics, religion, and commerce. This is where the Vestal Virgins tended the perpetual fire, where Julius Caesar was cremated, and where Emperor Caligula had his palace.
Today the site is littered with small fragments of the huge buildings that once stood here. The main street — the Via Sacra — still cuts authoritatively through the heart of the Forum, just as it did 2,000 years ago. But you'll mostly see crumbling columns and half-buried foundations. Still, walking along the rubble paths, I can't help but think I'm kicking some of the same pebbles that stuck in Julius Caesar's sandals.
What happened to the long-gone buildings? Earthquakes destroyed some of them, but more than anything, they were scavenged by Roman citizens. They carted off the precut stones and reused them in palaces and churches (some bits of the Colosseum ended up in St. Peter's Basilica across town).Read more