Virtually explore the Roman Forum with Smarthistory as your guide
videos + essays
We're adding new content all the time!
The archaeological context of the Roman Forum (Forum Romanum)
Views of Rome have long fired human imagination, eliciting reactions that lead to contemplation and argue for conservation
The Roman Forum: Part 3, Ruins in modern imagination
Ruins function as political and private symbols even in the modern era.
The Roman Forum: Part 2, Ruins in modern imagination (The Renaissance and after)
What did Brunelleschi, Donatello, and Masaccio take from ancient ruins of Rome?
The Roman Forum: Part 1, Ruins in modern imagination
How do we find meaning in amidst the ruins of the Roman Forum?
The Arch of Septimius Severus, portal to ancient Rome
One of the most impressive monuments on the Roman Forum
Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine
Built using new technologies, this building is overwhelming and unprecedented—displaying Roman imperial power.
The Roman Forum (Forum Romanum)
The heart of ancient Rome, the Forum Romanum was the monumental center of religious, political, and social life.