Page 396 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

394  ROME AND LAZIO

8 Roman Forum

In the early Republic, the Forum was a chaotic Arch of Septimius Severus
This triumphal arch was
place, containing food stalls and brothels as erected in AD 203, the 10th
well as temples and the Senate House. By the anniversary of Emperor
2nd century BC it was decided that Rome Septimius Severus’
required a more salubrious centre, and the food accession.
stores were replaced by business centres and
law courts. The Forum remained the
The Temple of
ceremonial centre of the city under Antoninus and
the Empire, with emperors Faustina is now
renovating old buildings V I A D E L L A C U R I A incorporated
and erecting new temples into the church of
and monuments. San Lorenzo
Temple of in Miranda.
The Rostra was the Saturn
orator’s tribune from
which speeches
were made.

The Curia, or V I A S A C R A
ancient Roman
Senate House,
has been
reconstructed.

Basilica Julia
Named after Basilica Aemilia
Julius Caesar, who was a meeting hall
began its construction for business and
in 54 BC, this was money exchange.
the seat of the civil
magistrates court. Temple of
Vesta

Temple of Castor and Pollux
Although there has been a temple
here since the 5th century BC, the
columns and elaborate cornice
date from AD 6, when the
temple was rebuilt.

. House of the
Vestal Virgins
The priestesses who
tended the sacred flame
0 metres 500 in the Temple of Vesta
lived here. The house
0 yards 500
was a large rectangular
building around a
central garden.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp573–6 and pp596–600

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