Rome:
As It Was
Forums
Forum of Trajan
The forum was built by Trajan and designed by architect Apollodorus of Damascus and dedicated in 113 C.E. The forum was approximately 1015 ft in length and 600 ft wide. It is considered to be the most magnificent of the three forums due to its size and architecture. The arch at the entrance of the forum was built to commemorate Trajan's victories in Dacia. The Kingdom of Dacia covered parts of modern day Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. The Column of Trajan was erected in the rear of the forum and in the front courtyard sat a statue of Trajan on his horse.
Construction on the Forum of Caesar began in 51 B.C.E. and it was completed by Augustus after Julius Caesar's death in 44 B.C.E. The south side of the Forum of Caesar consisted of two levels of shops which were similar to the shops in the Basilica Aemilia. The temple on the right side of the forum is the Temple of Venus Genetrix. The inside of the temple is home to many statues of Gods and Emperors. The forum is rectangular measuring 350 ft in length and 90 ft in width.
Forum of Caesar
The forum was built by Augustus after he vowed to build a Temple for Mars the Avenger during the Battle of Phillippi in 42 B.C.E. The Temple of Mars is the centre piece in the Forum of Augustus. Even though work on the Forum began in 42 B.C.E., construction was not complete until 2 B.C.E. The back wall of the forum stands 115 ft high and separates the forum from Subura, a busy, dingy, dirty and poor section of Rome. There are statues of various Gods and Emperors in the Forum including Mars, Venus, Fortuna, Roma, Romulus, Tiber, Julius Caesar and Augustus himself.
Forum of Augustus
Forums were one of the most popular structures throughout the Roman Empire. They held great imprtance to Roman society as they were used as public squares. The space was used primarily as a marketplace where a variety of shops could be set up for the vending of various merchandise. It also played the role of holding political discussions, debates and meetings.