Quick Guide to the Roman Forum: Including the Colosseum

Visiting the Roman Forum is one of the highlights of any trip to Rome.
This was the true heart of the Roman Empire - the place where power was exercised, news was announced, and history was made.

Here, the Senate took decisions that affected people as far away as Britain and Syria. Roman citizens gathered to hear the latest news from across the Empire, and victorious generals celebrated their triumphs along the Via Sacra.

Today, however, the Roman Forum can be confusing. What you mostly see are ruins and piles of stone - and without explanation, it's easy to miss why this place mattered so much.

This Quick Guide to the Roman Forum is designed to change that.

In this guide, you will discover:

• What the Roman Forum was and why it mattered so deeply to Roman life

• The stories behind the temples, basilicas, arches, and public buildings

• How to recognize the most important monuments while walking through the Forum

• How the Forum functioned politically, religiously, and socially

• How to make the ruins come alive through history and storytelling

Why this guide is different

I am a professional tour guide and art historian who worked in Rome for many years. The Roman Forum has always been one of my favorite places to guide visitors, because every stone has a story.

This book is:

• Short and focused

• Easy to use on site

• Written to help you understand what you are seeing, without overwhelming detail
  

Whether you are visiting the Forum for the first time or want to deepen your understanding, this guide will help you experience it as it should be experienced:
as a journey into the history of the Roman Empire.