Tips 1 - 10 of 41 Rome Things to Do
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Roman Forum: An Introduction to the Roman Forum
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The Roman Forum is nothing less than the heart of the ancient Roman Empire. A vast meeting place, all the most important political, business, religious, and social events of ancient Rome happened right here. It contains such magnificent monuments as the Temple of Saturn, the cremation pyre of Julius Caesar, the Arch of Titus, the House of the Vestal Virgins, and the Curia. Surprisingly, many visitors to Rome know nothing of the forum when they arrive, and sadly there is very little in the way of signage to enlighten them once they find it. This is quite possibly the most poorly signed major historical sight in the world, and trying to find your way around with a guidebook can be quite confusing. Hopefully my tips on the individual buildings will help you navigate the forum without too much difficulty. Another great option is to go on a free tour. If you see someone talking loudly and saying 'free tour' alot, don't hesitate to join in. For more info see my Tourist Trap tip.
UCLA has created a very interesting website where you can view reconstructions of all the different buildings in the forum (see link below). If you click on the 'object movie,' it will bring up a 3D reconstruction of the building, which you can tilt and turn to view at any angle you want.
Entry to the forum is free and it is open daily (except on public holidays or when the staff are on strike)
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Website: http://dlib.etc.ucla.edu:8080/projects/Forum/search
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This triumphal arch at the top of the Via Sacra was built to commemorate the sack of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple and brought tens of thousands of Jews back to Rome as slaves, thus beginning the Jewish diaspora. The frieze on the left inside the arch (if you're facing the Colosseum) shows the general Titus, who later became emperor, riding triumphantly into Rome on his chariot, while the one on the right shows Roman soldiers carrying their spoils of victory, including the golden menorah from the temple.
The arch was at one point incorporated into a medieval wall and had to be heavily restored in 1822. The sculptures on the inside of the arch, however, are the originals.
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Roman Forum: Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine
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This huge triple-arched basilica was begun by the emperor Maxentius and completed by Constantine after he defeated Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D. In ancient times it functioned as a law court. It was also the home of a giant statue of Constantine, only a few pieces of which survive today. The head, arm, and foot of the statue can be seen in the courtyard of the Capitoline Museums. The foot features on many postcards, usually with a cat draped over the toes to show how large it is.
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Directions: In the Forum between the Arch of Titus and the Temple of Romulus. It's a bit hidden behind the trees off to the right.
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This temple was built by the emperor Maxentius for his deified son Romulus, who died at the age four (not Romulus of Romulus and Remus, the legendary twin founders of Rome). The original bronze doors, dating from 312 A.D., are believed to be the oldest set of fully functioning doors, still in their original location, in the world. The building, together with the Forum of Peace behind it, was later transformed into the Church of Saints Cosma and Damiano, which can be accessed from the opposite side. There are some impressive Christian mosaics from the sixth and seventh centuries inside.
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Directions: In the Roman Forum between the Arch of Titus and the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
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Once considered by Pliny to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Rome, sadly not much is left of this basilica today apart fromthis inscribed slab of marble and some columns and foundations. The basilicas of ancient Rome obviously have nothing to do with the Catholic church; rather, the word 'basilica' simply describes the architectural style of these building which typically had a large nave with smaller aisles on either side (a floor plan later copied by many churches). Basilicas served various purposes; this one was a place of business with many shops inside. It was largely destroyed by fire in 410 A.D. when the Visigoths invaded Rome. Significant portions of the building were still standing, however, until its marble was used as building material for the Giraud-Torlonia Palace in Renaissance times. It is still possible to see green stains on the marble floor; these were made by bronze coins that melted during the fire in 410 A.D.
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Directions: In the Roman Forum between the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the Senate (Curia).
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The Senate building, also known as the Curia or Curia Hostilia, was where the Roman Senate met to hold debates and make decisions affecting the Roman Republic (and later the Roman Empire, though their influence had diminished by this time). It was at one time covered in marble and stucco so that none of the brick was visible; now the brick is all that can be seen. In the seventh century it was turned into a church, which accounts for its good state of preservation. It was also restored by the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in the 1930s. The bronze doors which are on the building now are copies of the originals, though the orginals also still exist; they now hang on the church of San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John in Lateran). While access to the building is not permitted, you are allowed to stand in the doorway and peek in. From here you can see the beautiful opus sectile marble floor from the Diocletian period (late 3rd century A.D.) as well as two huge marble reliefs called the Plutei of Trajan.
Personal sidenote: Nick and I met for the first time just in front of the church in the left of the picture (Chiesa dei SS. Luca e Martina), and if our latest plan holds (but they rarely do) it's where we'll get married in May 2007.
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This triumphal arch, built in 203 A.D., commemorates the emperor Septimius Severus' victory over the region of Parthia, where Iran and Iraq are today. Septimius Severus was the first emperor of the Severan dynasty and also the first African to rule the Roman Empire. The inscription on top of the arch originally mentioned both his sons, Caracalla and Gaeta, whom he hoped would rule jointly after him. Instead, in a bid to keep the power all for himself Caracalla killed Gaeta and attempted to destroy every bit of evidence that he had ever existed; in the fourth line from the top Gaeta's name was rubbed out and a new incription was written over it.
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Directions: In the northeastern corner of the forum, between the Curia and the Capitoline Hill.
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This building is actually the back side of the Palazzo Senatorio on the Capitoline hill, which is covered with the lovely facade designed by Michelangelo on the opposite side. This side which faces the forum though, looks completely different and actually shows three different periods of architecture. The grey stone and arches on the lower level are part of the Tabularium, built in 78 B.C. It was the archive of ancient Rome and held important government records. On the right, the medieval tower was part of the fortress constructed by the Corsi family on top of the Tabularium in the 11th century, while the upper portion is covered by a very ugly and boring facade from the fascist period in the 1930s. It's almost a mini-history lesson of Rome all in one building! This building is now Rome's city hall; it houses the office of the mayor and is where most civil weddings in Rome take place. A ticket to the Capitoline Museums includes access to the Tabularium, from where you will have a beautiful view over the forum - great place for photos.
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Directions: On the Capitoline Hill. You can't miss it from the Forum.
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The foundations of this temple were built in 497 B.C., making it the oldest structure in the Forum, though the eight columns of the portico are from a later reconstruction built to replace the original temple which was destroyed in a fire. The temple was dedicated to the god Saturn and held within in it a large statue of the god. This statue's legs were tied with linen and a sack covered his head, except during the feast of Saturnalia on December 17-23, when he was let loose.
This was a wild time of eating, drinking, and debauchery, when masters and slaves traded places and everything went topsy turvy. Other Saturnalia traditions included the exchanging of gifts and greeting cards, the hanging of wreaths, and the cutting down and decorating of evergreen trees. There has been much debate about the exact relationship between Saturnalia and Christmas; it is widely believed that Christian emperors of Rome in the fourth century A.D. set December 25th as the date for celebrating Christmas as a way to ease the pagan Romans into conversion to Christianity.
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Directions: In the northwest corner of the forum, to the left of the Tabularium.
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jkl1111 Thu May 7, 2009 19:33 UTC
I went in 2005 after attending a wedding in Siena. I also loved the Risotto alla Pescatora! As my friend & I were enjoying our limoncello, the bride's parents walked up the street! They were on their way to their "favorite restaurant in Rome," Tony's. | cpiers47 Tue Jan 15, 2008 16:39 UTC
Fantastic Tips on the Forum - thanks so much for the clear explanations. I'm going to take them when me when I head back to Rome in the spring and look forward to finally "understanding" that part of the city! Grazie Mille. | marielexoteria Mon Oct 8, 2007 12:42 UTC
Thank you for these tips. | Pabro Fri Mar 9, 2007 10:06 UTC
These are excellent pages on Rome, accompanied by superb historical details. The photos here brought fond memories of my visit there a year ago. |
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