The Roman Forum was the center of ancient Rome. The city's most important temples and halls of justice were located there. Today, the Forum is chock full of columns, arches, temples, and various ruins. It's bigger than I remember it.
It's a valley in between Capitoline and Palatine Hills. Rome's most important road back in the day, Via Sacra, runs right through it. The aspiration of the top military men of the day was to ride on a chariot along the Via Sacra, with the citizens cheering your latest conquest to both keep them safe and expand the empire with both land and treasure.
The commanding general would last in the parade, as the chests of gold and more would be first, then exotic animals from the conquered lands, prisoners in chains.
The Arch of Titus, at the entry to the Forum, commemorated the Roman victory over the province of Judaea (Israel in AD 70). That beautiful, historical country of Israel has known peace ever since.
(Editor: Do you even pay any attention to the news? Writer: Oh, a little bit, why?)
We walked down Via Sacra, past the remains of Basilica of Constantine, then past the remains of various temples, and over to the Arch of Septimius Severus. Then we visited the Forum's Main Square.
The Column of Phocas is the last monument to be built in the Forum. A gift of the Byzantine Empire to the previous great empire, it was constructed in AD 608 and was given to commemorate the Pantheon becoming a Christian church.
The Forum is mostly for wandering and appreciating what it must have been like back in the glory days of ancient Rome.
(Editor: So I've been patient. What's the funny thing that happened on the way to the Forum? Writer: Do you even pay any attention to our culture?)
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