Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The forums of Augustus, Nerva, and Vespasiano are below this street joined by
a walkway, which you can reach from the Via dei Fori Imperiali or the Piazza del
Grillo. The
Forum of Augustus
was inaugurated in 2
B
.
C
. The main structure was
the Temple of Mars, which the emperor Augustus (known then as Octavian) built
to mark the victorious battle of Philippi in 42
B
.
C
. Next is the
Forum of Nerva
which sits on both sides of the Via Fori Imperiali. This forum held the
Temple of
Minerva,
of which there is still a frieze depicting Minerva, the goddess of home-
making and weaving. The final forum here is the
Forum of Vespasiano.
It was
dedicated to the emperor in
A
.
D
. 75, but most of it burned in 192. In
A
.
D
. 193,
Septimius Severus placed a giant map of Rome on the walls here. The maps you
now see on the wall opposite these forums were put there by Mussolini to show
the rise of his own wannabe Roman empire-in-the-making.
At the time of this writing, you can only visit the
Imperial Forums
(Via dei
Fori Imperiali;
%
06-6797786;
€
7; English for guided tours only at 3pm Wed and
Sat-Sun)
by guided tour 3 days a week. But again, it is not necessary to actually
go down into the Imperial Forums to appreciate their significance. It's a much
more rewarding journey to cross the street and visit the free Roman Forum.
The Roman Forum
You can spend an entire day at the
Roman Forum
555
(entrances at Largo
Romolo e Remo, 5-6, or Piazza di Santa Maria Nova, 53, or Via di Monte Tarpeo;
free admission; daily 9am to 1 hr. before dusk)
and still come away wanting more.
But a more practical way to visit the Roman Forum is with a detailed map from
the visitor center on the Via dei Fori Imperiali before starting your expedition.
The most central entrance is located in the middle, at Largo Romolo e Remo. You
can also buy an integrated ticket here for the Colosseum and Palatine Hill for €8,
which will allow you to bypass the line at the Colosseum. Rent a €4 audioguide
here, which will save you from hearing others' often misguided explanations
around you. The ruins here are among the worst labeled in the entire city, so with-
out a detailed map, an audioguide, or a book dedicated entirely to the forum, you
will be left with only half of the story.
From the entrance at Largo Romolo e Remo, you should first cover the area to
the left heading to the Colosseum. Here you'll see the
A
.
D
. 141
Temple of
Antonino and Faustina,
which was reincarnated as a Catholic Church in the 8th
century. Farther down the paved road is the backside of the
Basilica of Cosmas
and Damian,
which houses a Franciscan monastery with a well-placed balcony
overlooking the area. If you feel adventurous, go around the front of the church
and ask if you can take a peek; there are many American Franciscans here on sab-
batical or assignment who will happily take you up to see the view.
Along the path in the forum, you will then pass the barrel vaults of the ruined
Basilica of Costantino,
originally known as the Basilica of Massenzio. This was
the largest structure in the entire Roman Forum and the last of the magnificent
structures built before the decline of Rome. The giant vaults are said to have
inspired Michelangelo, who came here often to study them before designing the
dome for St. Peter's Basilica. At the end of this section of the forum is the
Arch
of Titus,
depicting a carving of Titus's defeat of the Jews.
Heading back toward the entrance, you'll pass the
House of the Vestal
Virgins,
where anatomically perfect, prepubescent girls tended Vesta's sacred fire.
