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walkingancientrome_2019What is a forum?
Forums were centers, both physically and metaphorically, of Roman towns. Forums were public areas that were used for a variety of purposes, including religious, economic, political, legal, and social activities. Forums could have government offices, temples, shops or markets, monuments and/or statues for gods or other notable figures (such as emperors), and more. Structurally, many were similar, generally being a colonnaded rectangle with a temple to a deity at one end though forums could have a variety of significant architectural differences.
Who was Julius Caesar?
Julius Caesar was a leader of the Roman Republic until his assassination in 44 BCE. Born July 12th or 13th 100 BCE, Caesar was involved in the military and politics from a young age. Allegedly a descendant of Aeneas, Caesar first became a soldier while fleeing the then-dictator Sulla, who opposed Caesar's marriage. Throughout his life and career, Caesar held a variety of government positions throughout his career, including governor and consul of Spain, and gained a reputation with the military for his service, particularly in the Gallic Wars. Worked closely with Pompey the Great in the First Triumvirate, though eventually, the two became opponents resulting in a civil war. After Pompey's death, Caesar was made dictator of the Roman Republic. After becoming dictator, Caesar instituted a number of reforms, including creating a new calendar, forgiving debt, and reorganizing local governments. These reforms made him popular with the populace, but unpopular with the Senate. In spite of this, Caesar was appointed dictator-for-life by the Senate in early 44 BCE. On March 15th, 44 BCE a group of senators stabbed Caesar to death. After his death, Caesar was deified, the first Roman to have been.
What was the Forum of Caesar?
Also known as Forum Iulium and Forum Caesaris, money and land collection began in 54 BCE. According to Suetonius, the cost of the forum cost over one million gold pieces. Construction of the forum began in 51 BCE at the base of Capitoline Hill. However, due to Caesar’s assassination and the following civil war, the forum was not completed until 29 BCE under the emperor Augustus, Caesar’s adopted son, great-grandnephew, and appointed successor. Though reports on the size of the forum differ, there is thought it was 124 meters long and 45 meters wide. The forum was also connected to the Curia Julia (Senate House), which Caesar also began construction of before his death. The forum had porticoes for the long sides which had offices for government business to be conducted. Since part of the Capitoline Hill had to be removed to make space for the forum, the porticoes were two-leveled, and the upper level would have connected to the hill. Beyond the porticoes were also large, barrel-vaulted rooms. The forum contained two statues of Caesar, one of him sitting upon Alexander the Great’s horse Bucephalus, another of him in military armor. Additionally, a statue of Caesar’s horse was in the forum, with the forefeet having allegedly looking like human feet.
The purpose of the forum was to expand on the Forum Romanum and to be a business center for the government. In addition, the forum also served to remind people of Caesar’s descendancy from the gods. At the Battle of Pharsalus, where Caesar fought and defeated the army of Pompey, Caesar swore a temple to the goddess Venus Genetrix (or Venus Victrix, some accounts say that he swore one to Venus Victrix, but Pompey dedicated a temple to the goddess before Caesar could, so Caesar instead built a temple to Venus Genetrix), whom Caesar’s family traced their ancestry to through Aeneas. This temple was erected in the Forum of Caesar and was partially built into the Capitoline Hill. Made from marble, the temple sat on a tall podium and had columns that were almost 13 meters in height. The temple was decorated with cherubs. The temple is believed to have contained a statue of Venus Genetrix, two paintings by Timomachus (one of Ajax, another of Medea), a gold gilded statue of Cleopatra, and collections of engraved gems. In front of the temple was a fountain of nymphs.
What happened to the Forum of Caesar?
In 113 CE, emperor Trajan reconstructed the temple. This may have been the result of Trajan’s construction of his own forum, which had caused the Temple of Venus Genetrix to be partially destroyed, or Trajan may have been putting the finishing touches on a reconstruction by the former emperor Domitian. Trajan likely added the Basilica Argentaria (not actually a basilica, instead being a portico with basilica-like qualities), which was connected to the western corner of the Forum of Caesar. The Basilica Argentina is thought to have connected Caesar’s forum to Trajan’s forum, in addition to being market and school at certain points. After the forum’s completion in 29 BCE, it is thought that a variety of fires caused damage to the forum, though the number is debated. After one of these fires in 283 BCE, the emperor Diocletian reconstructed the forum, which included the construction of a wall along the north/northwestern wall behind the Temple of Venus Genetrix with arches as passageways through the wall. A granite colonnade was added in the 4th or 5th century, but it is not known by who or precisely when it was constructed.
Though it is not known when the Forum of Caesar fell out of use, it is thought to have been relatively early. The materials of the forum were taken for reuse, and by the 9th and 10th centuries, the land had been converted to a small village. In the 1930s, an excavation was conducted, which revealed the ruins of the Temple of Venus Genetrix and the western corner. The columns of the temple that remain are thought to have been part of Trajan’s reconstruction.
Why was the Forum of Caesar important?
The Forum of Caesar was the first forum built by a leader in Rome and began the tradition of leaders building forums that would be emulated by emperors such as Augustus, Nerva, and Trajan. It also had significance in that is influence how these emperors would approach building their forums as they wanted to emulate the methods of those who came before them, including Caesar.
Forums were centers, both physically and metaphorically, of Roman towns. Forums were public areas that were used for a variety of purposes, including religious, economic, political, legal, and social activities. Forums could have government offices, temples, shops or markets, monuments and/or statues for gods or other notable figures (such as emperors), and more. Structurally, many were similar, generally being a colonnaded rectangle with a temple to a deity at one end though forums could have a variety of significant architectural differences.
Who was Julius Caesar?
Julius Caesar was a leader of the Roman Republic until his assassination in 44 BCE. Born July 12th or 13th 100 BCE, Caesar was involved in the military and politics from a young age. Allegedly a descendant of Aeneas, Caesar first became a soldier while fleeing the then-dictator Sulla, who opposed Caesar's marriage. Throughout his life and career, Caesar held a variety of government positions throughout his career, including governor and consul of Spain, and gained a reputation with the military for his service, particularly in the Gallic Wars. Worked closely with Pompey the Great in the First Triumvirate, though eventually, the two became opponents resulting in a civil war. After Pompey's death, Caesar was made dictator of the Roman Republic. After becoming dictator, Caesar instituted a number of reforms, including creating a new calendar, forgiving debt, and reorganizing local governments. These reforms made him popular with the populace, but unpopular with the Senate. In spite of this, Caesar was appointed dictator-for-life by the Senate in early 44 BCE. On March 15th, 44 BCE a group of senators stabbed Caesar to death. After his death, Caesar was deified, the first Roman to have been.
What was the Forum of Caesar?
Also known as Forum Iulium and Forum Caesaris, money and land collection began in 54 BCE. According to Suetonius, the cost of the forum cost over one million gold pieces. Construction of the forum began in 51 BCE at the base of Capitoline Hill. However, due to Caesar’s assassination and the following civil war, the forum was not completed until 29 BCE under the emperor Augustus, Caesar’s adopted son, great-grandnephew, and appointed successor. Though reports on the size of the forum differ, there is thought it was 124 meters long and 45 meters wide. The forum was also connected to the Curia Julia (Senate House), which Caesar also began construction of before his death. The forum had porticoes for the long sides which had offices for government business to be conducted. Since part of the Capitoline Hill had to be removed to make space for the forum, the porticoes were two-leveled, and the upper level would have connected to the hill. Beyond the porticoes were also large, barrel-vaulted rooms. The forum contained two statues of Caesar, one of him sitting upon Alexander the Great’s horse Bucephalus, another of him in military armor. Additionally, a statue of Caesar’s horse was in the forum, with the forefeet having allegedly looking like human feet.
The purpose of the forum was to expand on the Forum Romanum and to be a business center for the government. In addition, the forum also served to remind people of Caesar’s descendancy from the gods. At the Battle of Pharsalus, where Caesar fought and defeated the army of Pompey, Caesar swore a temple to the goddess Venus Genetrix (or Venus Victrix, some accounts say that he swore one to Venus Victrix, but Pompey dedicated a temple to the goddess before Caesar could, so Caesar instead built a temple to Venus Genetrix), whom Caesar’s family traced their ancestry to through Aeneas. This temple was erected in the Forum of Caesar and was partially built into the Capitoline Hill. Made from marble, the temple sat on a tall podium and had columns that were almost 13 meters in height. The temple was decorated with cherubs. The temple is believed to have contained a statue of Venus Genetrix, two paintings by Timomachus (one of Ajax, another of Medea), a gold gilded statue of Cleopatra, and collections of engraved gems. In front of the temple was a fountain of nymphs.
What happened to the Forum of Caesar?
In 113 CE, emperor Trajan reconstructed the temple. This may have been the result of Trajan’s construction of his own forum, which had caused the Temple of Venus Genetrix to be partially destroyed, or Trajan may have been putting the finishing touches on a reconstruction by the former emperor Domitian. Trajan likely added the Basilica Argentaria (not actually a basilica, instead being a portico with basilica-like qualities), which was connected to the western corner of the Forum of Caesar. The Basilica Argentina is thought to have connected Caesar’s forum to Trajan’s forum, in addition to being market and school at certain points. After the forum’s completion in 29 BCE, it is thought that a variety of fires caused damage to the forum, though the number is debated. After one of these fires in 283 BCE, the emperor Diocletian reconstructed the forum, which included the construction of a wall along the north/northwestern wall behind the Temple of Venus Genetrix with arches as passageways through the wall. A granite colonnade was added in the 4th or 5th century, but it is not known by who or precisely when it was constructed.
Though it is not known when the Forum of Caesar fell out of use, it is thought to have been relatively early. The materials of the forum were taken for reuse, and by the 9th and 10th centuries, the land had been converted to a small village. In the 1930s, an excavation was conducted, which revealed the ruins of the Temple of Venus Genetrix and the western corner. The columns of the temple that remain are thought to have been part of Trajan’s reconstruction.
Why was the Forum of Caesar important?
The Forum of Caesar was the first forum built by a leader in Rome and began the tradition of leaders building forums that would be emulated by emperors such as Augustus, Nerva, and Trajan. It also had significance in that is influence how these emperors would approach building their forums as they wanted to emulate the methods of those who came before them, including Caesar.
