Day 23: The Roman Forum

Today, we visited the Roman Forum, the town square of the late Republic. There are the streets that Julius Caesar, Cicero, Marc Antony, and Octavian would have strolled during their morning walk with the purpose to see and be seen. While the Forum doesn’t look like much now, most of the buildings that remain were places of great importance: temples, justice buildings, and memorials.

This is the curia or senate house. All 300 senators would gather in this great big building to discuss laws, wars, and other bits of legislation.

At the top of the main square sits the Temple of Julius Caesar. While it is not much to look at, it holds a place of prominence in the Forum. Also, this temple is a remaining symbol of how the Romans felt about Caesar: after his death, they made him a god. Here are flowers that present-day tourists leave in honor of the “Roman of Romans.”

Also, there are some amazing tributes to emperors who lived beyond Caesar’s lifetime. Here, the Arch of Septimus Severus looms large over the far end of the Forum. Its massive structure was created by Jewish slaves who had been captured during the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. What is ironic about the arch is that the images selected for the arch are battle scenes from the annihilation of Jerusalem. So, Jewish slaves had to create this massive marble sculpture celebrating a horrible part of their history. Kind cruel, don’t you think?


The forum was really cool. If you ever come to Italy and want to see Rome, check our Rick Steves’ guidebook. His “Walk through the Roman Forum” was filled with historical information and great tourist tricks. It is only the first day in Rome, and I am already learning from his notes!