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The Imperial Forums constitute a series of monumental plazas built from the emperors during one century and a half (among the 46 BC and 113 AD) in the heart of the city of Rome. |
Julius Caesar decided to build a great square, that was inaugurated in the 46 BC. (probably still incomplete and it was finished after from August). The difference between the Roman Forum dealt with an unitary project: a square with arcades on the long sides and in the center of the background side, the temple devoted to Venus. The new square took the model of the arcades built around the temples of the most important and influential political men of the last century of the Republic. |
In comparison to the Forum of Caesar the new complex prepared orthogonally and the temple was supported to a tall wall, still preserved, that divided the monument from the popular district of Suburra. Besides the arcades that rose on the long sides opened to the shoulders in ample exedras, destined to host the activities of the courts. Also in this case the construction of the complex had been wanted for publicize intentions and all of its decoration celebrates the new age of the gold that is inaugurated with the principality of August. |
Under the emperor Vespasiano another great square was built, separated from the Forum of August and from that of Caesar, by the “Via dell’Argileto” that put in communication the Roman Forum with the Suburra, and situated closer to the Velia (in direction of the Colosseum). This complex was not considered in origin as one of the Imperial Forums, only after years with the name of Temple of Peace. |
Forum of Nerva or the Transitory Forum 98 AD |
Domiziano decided to unify the preceding complexes and in the irregular area been free between the Temple of the Peace and the Forum of Caesar and of August, he made to build another monumental square that put them all in communication. The temple, devoted to goddess Minerva (her protectress as she had been protecting of the demigod Eracle) it was set to the outside of the exedra of the Forum of Augustus, while the remaining space was used for an ample monumental entry (the Porticus Absidata) that it had to become the entry to all the monumental complexes. |
Forum of Trajan 112 and 113 AD |
Only the jobs of preparation were imposing: the stripping of the mountainous saddle necessary to find a space to the new complex, it involved the reconstruction of the temple of Venus in the Forum of Caesar. The forensic square was closed on the back from the Basilica Ulpia, behind which the Column of Traiano rose. As in the Forum of Augustus the porticos opened on the back with some ample exedras. On the opposite side of the Basilica a monumental façade served as background to the colossal equestrian statue of the emperor. The last of the forensic complexes was also the greatest and the most stately. |
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