Roman Forum, Rome

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The Roman Forums are a pleasant diversion and offer some shade on the walk back from the Flavian Amphitheatre/ Colloseum. So I wrote in 2005, with a scan of pre-dated my owning a digital camera or joining VT (About 2001) .

A long overdue update - and new lead picture. Check my revised tip on the National monument - you can now go all the way up in the lift for some truly spectacular views, icnluding lots of great photo opportunities. Pity the day was just so very bright!

You may go to Rome without seeing the Pope. But it's much more difficult to go without seeing the forums.

If you are just curious, one day is more than enough to see and understand the essential. But if you are a serious student of history or art, then you'd better reserve a full week. And work hard...

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So if you've had any Roman history, read certain bits of Shakespeare or seen the most expensive American movie ever made (Cleopatra - 1963) you'll know that Julius Caesar met a messy end at the hands of some very cranky Senators. What was news to me was that they didn't off him in the Forum. The building that was normally used for gatherings of the Senate (the Curia) had burned down some years before and so they were using part of Pompey's Theater in the interim. This gigantic building covered several blocks - roughly from Campo di Fiori to Largo Argentina - northwest of the Forum.

The Senators having fled the scene of the crime, the body was dragged by a mob of angry citizens (who had no love for pushy Caesars) to the Forum where a cool-headed Marc Anthony did some fast talking to make the fallen dictator look like a hero and deserving of a noble send-off. Heroes being rather popular in ancient Rome, the mob settled down nicely, threw together an altar, grabbed whatever furniture they could lay their hands on and built a nice big bonfire to throw Julius' remains into. Later, the Temple of Julius Caesar was raised on the spot. There's not much left of it but parts of some walls and remains of the altar but it's an interesting little piece of history so give it a go.

The ruins of the altar and walls are covered with a roof to protect them from the elements. In two of the pictures, it's the semi-circular grey thing in the very center of both frames. Here's a website with some good background on Julius: http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/caesar.html

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The Roman Forum is the vast area near the Colosseum between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills. It houses a lot of ruins and interesting structures - basilicas, temples, arches - am not going into details cuz I only had 3 days in Rome and time is so tight to note the names of all the interesting sights and stuff around.

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The Roman Forum is the vast area near the Colosseum between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills. It houses a lot of ruins and interesting structures - basilicas, temples, arches - am not going into details cuz I only had 3 days in Rome and time is so tight to note the names of all the interesting sights and stuff around.

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A good Forum book with the overlay will serve you well. The more you know of the history here - the more you will appreciate all you see and can identify here.
You will be transported back to ancient times here - with a book on the ancient site in hand and ample time to devote. I revisited the Forum and spent the better part of an afternoon comparing what now exists to the overlay describing what was where - when - and for what purpose. I was largely unaware of the people around (luckily, there were very few) and
You may even have an opportunity to see archeologists at work as many sites are very active - no doubt they continue during our lifetime and, in fact, may proceed for centuries to come as new technology is developed.

Photo 5 - The site where Julius Cesar was cremated and the bouquets that, even now, are laid in tribute. Don't miss it when you are there......

Imagine our surprise when we discovered that something new has been added to Rome's ancient ruins--large scale contemporary sculptures by Costa Rican artist, Jorge Jimenez Deredia. Never before have art pieces been displayed at these famous sites: the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.

His bronze and marble statues are being displayed at the front entrance to the Colosseum, throughout the Roman Forum and in the courtyards at some of Rome's well-known art galleries and piazzas. His exhibition has been called, The Path to Peace.

Mr. Deredia's idea "was to pull together peoples, legends, myths, symbols and traditions from an array of different backgrounds into a single, overarching project".

This exhibition will continue until November 30. Eventually, these sculptures will be permanently located in 9 different countries.

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Construction of this temple began in the 5th century BC to commemorate Roman victory over the Etruscan Tarquins in 489 BC. The temple is also in honor of the Heavenly Twins who were believed to have appeared to Roman troops in an important battle. Three columns of Corinthian style are the visible remnants of this temple.