Trajan's Forum

This photo of the Trajan’s Forum is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of Rome. There are over 100 images taken from around Rome linked to an interactive map.

Trajan’s Forum (sometimes call ‘Traiano’) lies in the centre of ancient Rome, just over the road form the Roman Forum and Colosseum. It is visited by far fewer people than the Roman Forum, but dodging traffic across the street is worthwhile. And for those concerned about road safety, the Italians have actually installed a pedestrian crossing, though whether the traffic adheres to the signals or not is a mute point.

Trajan’s Forum began life in 107 AD and is the grandest of the 5 Imperial Forums. Building it required the removal of two hill sides – the Quirinal and Capitoline (Campidoglio) Hills, which was no mean feat in a time without mechanical aid. It was intended to relieve overcrowding in the Roman Forum and to link southern Rome to the Campus Martius.

The forum was truly a masterpiece of construction became the sights of many noble acts including the releasing of slaves, burial of lists of state debtors and political prisoners, and the auction of the emperor’s personal treasures to raise money and avoid raising war taxes.

The forum measures 200m x 120m, along the far side is the Basilica Ulpia, a huge market place. Within four storeys almost anything from anywhere in the Empire was sold, wine and oil on first, spices and other imports on second, fresh fish in two ponds on fourth kept alive in ponds fed either with water from an aqueduct or sea water piped from Ostia. The third floor is thought to have contained the Congiaria, a kind of welfare office that distributed money and food to the needy.

The area owes its preservation to being converted in part to a convent, and in part to a fort. At one end stands Trajan’s Column and nearby are many important sites including the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and Colosseum.

A full panoramic image is found on the Rome tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

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