Temple of Romulus - Roman Forum

This photo of the Temple of Romulus 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.

Full 360° panorama of the Temple of Romulus

One of the most amazing things about the Temple of Romulus is the door. This is not just a green door, or even a green bronze door. This door dates from the late Imperial Age and is therefore almost 1,700 years old. To have survived intact for so long and through so much is almost unprecedented. This is one special door.

But enough about the door, what about the rest of the building? It is situated in the Roman Forum next to the Temple of Antonius and Faustina, and dates from the early 4C. Originally it was thought that this was dedicated to Emperor Romulus who died in 307. Recently it has also been suggested that the building may have been associated with the Temple of Jupiter or the audience hall of a city prefect.

Maxentius bagan building the Temple of Romulus, and it was completed by Constantine. That is in such good condition is thanks in part to the fact that in the Middle Ages it was incorporated into the atrium of the church of St. Cosma and St. Damiano. Inside the church is a 6C mosaic showing Jesus Christ surrounded by several saints at his second coming. The rest of the church has taken over the Forum Pacis built by Emperor Nerva.

Full panoramic images from the Roman Forum are found on the Rome tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

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San Lorenzo in Miranda - Roman Forum

This photo of the San Lorenzo in Miranda 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.

Full 360° panorama of San Lorenzo in Miranda

San Lorenzo in Miranda (aka: Temple of Faustina and Antonius) is found in the Roman Forum about half way along the Sacra Via. This area is often full of people snaking their way along the paths behind tour guides waving various umbrellas and sticks in the air as group markers. The lines are so long that some guides have resorted to wireless headsets to communicate, meaning that those at the end must surely by one or two sights behind the current commentary.

San Lorenzo in Miranda started off as the Temple of Antonius and Faustina, and is one of the best preserved temples in the Forum. It was built around 140 and dedicated to Empress Faustina and then to her husband Antonius Pius after his death in 161.

In may have become a church in 7C, and is thought to be the place where S Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) was sentenced to death during the persecution of Christians by Valerian in 258. He is often portrayed as being burnt alive in a gridiron and his death may have had a profound impact in Rome furthering Christianity. This persecution also resulted in the crucifixion of Sixtus II the bishop and pope of the time. The Miranda part of the name may be either recognition of a benefactor at the time, or a derivation of ‘admire’ referring to the view over the Forum from the top of the steps.

The front shows the original pagan dedication DIVO ANTONINO ET / DIVA FAUSTINAE EX S(ENATUS) C(ONSULTO) (to the divine Antoninus and the divine Faustina by decree of the Senate). This is very unusual for a converted temple, normally evidence of pagan worship was destroyed, and the columns show marks of chains which were at one time used to try to topple them. The reconstructed flight of stairs up the front of the church may allow access to the pronaos and the pillars, but access to the interior is from the rear, through the College of Chemists and Pharmacists.

Unfortunately the church is often closed, though if you manage to get inside (possibly from 10-12 on a Thursday) you will find a single nave under a white barrel-vaulted ceiling with 3 side chapels. Above the high altar is the Martyrdom of St Lawrence by Pietro da Cortona, painted 1636-1646. This is framed by an aedicula of four black marble columns.

Full panoramas from the Roman Forum are found on the Rome tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

For more articles on Rome see the Rome Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.

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.

For more articles on Rome see the Rome Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.

Roman (Magnum) Forum - Rome

Well, here is another one of Rome – the Roman Forum (or though it may also be known as the Forum Magnum). This ranks among the top ten visited sites in Rome, so if you go there during the high season, expect it to be crawling with tourists after about 10am when they begin to surface from the excesses of fantastic Roman food and wine the night before.

So this is the place to come to walk among 2000+ years of history. Makes you think – or would if the noise and bustle of hundreds of other people allowed you to do so. At least this is one place where you will not be contending with the crazy traffic. Though you do stand the danger of being run over by massive tour groups, so big that they can take minutes to pass by in double or even quadrouple file. So big indeed that they are communicated to via a radio earpiece link with the guide. It would appear quite possible then that those at the rear are actually looking at something the guide was talking about 5 minutes ago as they trail along at breakneck speed in order to get to the next site. That way they have ‘Done Rome’.

Oh, and if you think the crowds here are nuts – try the Coliseum, St.Peter’s or, worst of all, the Vatican Museums and Sistene Chapel, where a mile of bodies 4 deep can be found waiting to get in. Ah, but then that is Rome…

For more articles on Rome see the Rome Index or select one of the labels at the bottom.