Rome. ITALY - Foro Romano / Roman Forum - Ancient Roman Ruins:  The Roman Forum (Foro Romano) is the historic political, religious, and commercial center of ancient Rome. It sits in a valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills.

Overview & Functions  

    • Location: Central Rome, Italy (near the Colosseum, managed by the Parco archeologico del Colosseo).    

    • Core Role: Served as the beating heart of public life for over a millennium.    

    • Activities: Hosted elections, public speeches, criminal trials, triumphal processions, religious ceremonies, and bustling markets.

Key Structures & Ruins

    • Curia Julia: The ancient Senate house where political debates and votes took place.     

    • Temple of Saturn: Used as the state treasury during the Roman Republic.

    • Temple of Vesta & Atrium Vestae: Home to the sacred eternal flame of Rome and the Vestal Virgins.     

    • Arch of Septimius Severus (203 CE): Triumphal arch honoring Emperor Septimius Severus and his sons.     

    • Arch of Titus (81 CE): Commemorates Rome's victory over Jerusalem and features an early depiction of the menorah.     

    • Via Sacra: The main sacred road through the Forum where victorious generals and emperors paraded their spoils.      • Column of Phocas (608 AD): The last monumental column erected in the Forum.

History & Timeline

     • Origins (8th Century BC): Evolved from an early Iron Age burial ground into a drained public plaza once the Cloaca Maxima (drainage system) was built.

     • Expansion: Heavily expanded with grand marble basilicas, monuments, and temples under Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus.

     • Decline & Abandonment (5th–9th Century AD): Sacked during the fall of Rome, stripped of marble, and gradually buried by silt and vegetation.     

     • Campo Vaccino: For centuries, the buried valley was used as pasture land and known as the "cow field".

     • Excavation (1803–Present): Systematic archaeological excavations began in the early 19th century and continue to uncover the ancient layers today.

This White Border Era (1915-30) postcard is in good condition.  Fototipia Alterocca - Terni.  No. 102.