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A forum (Latin: forum, "public place outdoors",pl.: fora; English pl.: either fora or forums) was a public square in a municipium, or any civitas, of Ancient Rome reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls. But such fora functioned secondarily for multiple purposes, including as social meeting places for discussion. Many fora were constructed at remote locations along a road by the magistrate responsible for the road, in which case the forum was the only settlement at the site and had its own name, such as Forum Popili or Forum Livi.
Functions
In addition to its standard function as a marketplace, a forum was a gathering place of great social significance, and often the scene of diverse activities, including political discussions and debates, rendezvous, meetings, et cetera. In that case, it supplemented the function of a conciliabulum.
Every municipality (municipium) had a forum. Fora were the first of any civitas synoecized whether Latin, Italic, Etruscan, Greek, Celtic, or other. The first forums were sited between independent villages in the period, known only through archaeology. After the rise of the Roman Republic, the most noted forum of the Roman world—the Roman Forum in Rome itself—served as a model of new construction. By the time of the late Republic, expansions refurbishing the forums of the city had inspired Pompey Magnus to create the Theatre of Pompey in 55 BC. His theatre included a massive forum behind the theatre arcades known as the Portico of Pompey (Porticus Pompeii). The structure was the forebear of Julius Caesar's forum and others to follow.
Other major fora are found in Italy. However, they are not to be confused with the piazza of the modern town, which may have originated from a number of different types of ancient civic centers, or more likely was its own type. While similar in use and function to fora, most were created in the Middle Ages and are often not a part of the original city footprint.
Fora were a regular part of every Roman province in the Republic and the Empire, with archaeological examples at:
- Forum of Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Forum of Philippi, Greece
- Forum of Thessaloniki, Greece
- Forum of Beirut, Lebanon
- Forum and Provincial Forum of Mérida, Spain
- Colonial forum and Provincial forum of Tarragona, Spain
In new Roman towns the forum was usually located at, or just off, the intersection of the main north–south and east–west streets (the cardo and decumanus). All fora would have a Temple of Jupiter at the north end, and would also contain other temples, as well as the basilica; a public weights and measures table, so customers at the market could ensure they were not being sold short measures; and would often have the baths nearby. At election times, candidates would use the steps of the temples in the forum to make their election speeches, and would expect their clients to come to support them.
Typical structures
- Basilica
- Macellum
- Roman baths
- Roman temple
- Triumphal arch
- Victory column
Equivalent spaces in other cultures
- Agora
- Civic center
- Internet forum
- Piazza
- Plateia
- Plaza
- Town square
See also
- Amphitheatre
- Circus (building)
- Hippodrome
- Roman theatre (structure)
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
References
- From Proto-Indo-European *dʰworom "enclosure, courtyard", i.e. "something enclosed by a door"; cognate with English door and Old Church Slavonic дворъ dvorŭ "court, courtyard".
- Abbott, Frank Frost; Johnson, Allan Chester (1926). Municipal Administration in the Roman Empire. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 12.
External links
Media related to Ancient Roman forums at Wikimedia Commons
This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Forum Roman news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message A forum Latin forum public place outdoors pl fora English pl either fora or forums was a public square in a municipium or any civitas of Ancient Rome reserved primarily for the vending of goods i e a marketplace along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls But such fora functioned secondarily for multiple purposes including as social meeting places for discussion Many fora were constructed at remote locations along a road by the magistrate responsible for the road in which case the forum was the only settlement at the site and had its own name such as Forum Popili or Forum Livi FunctionsIn addition to its standard function as a marketplace a forum was a gathering place of great social significance and often the scene of diverse activities including political discussions and debates rendezvous meetings et cetera In that case it supplemented the function of a conciliabulum The Roman Forum in Rome Italy Every municipality municipium had a forum Fora were the first of any civitas synoecized whether Latin Italic Etruscan Greek Celtic or other The first forums were sited between independent villages in the period known only through archaeology After the rise of the Roman Republic the most noted forum of the Roman world the Roman Forum in Rome itself served as a model of new construction By the time of the late Republic expansions refurbishing the forums of the city had inspired Pompey Magnus to create the Theatre of Pompey in 55 BC His theatre included a massive forum behind the theatre arcades known as the Portico of Pompey Porticus Pompeii The structure was the forebear of Julius Caesar s forum and others to follow Other major fora are found in Italy However they are not to be confused with the piazza of the modern town which may have originated from a number of different types of ancient civic centers or more likely was its own type While similar in use and function to fora most were created in the Middle Ages and are often not a part of the original city footprint The Forum of Jerash in Jordan The columns mark the location of a stoa or covered walkway where the stalls of open air vendors might be located in bad weather Note the semi circular shape and traces of a central podium similar in function to a theatre Fora were a regular part of every Roman province in the Republic and the Empire with archaeological examples at Forum of Plovdiv Bulgaria Forum of Philippi Greece Forum of Thessaloniki Greece Forum of Beirut Lebanon Forum and Provincial Forum of Merida Spain Colonial forum and Provincial forum of Tarragona Spain In new Roman towns the forum was usually located at or just off the intersection of the main north south and east west streets the cardo and decumanus All fora would have a Temple of Jupiter at the north end and would also contain other temples as well as the basilica a public weights and measures table so customers at the market could ensure they were not being sold short measures and would often have the baths nearby At election times candidates would use the steps of the temples in the forum to make their election speeches and would expect their clients to come to support them Typical structuresBasilica Macellum Roman baths Roman temple Triumphal arch Victory columnEquivalent spaces in other culturesAgora Civic center Internet forum Piazza Plateia Plaza Town squareSee alsoAncient Rome portalAmphitheatre Circus building Hippodrome Roman theatre structure A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumReferencesFrom Proto Indo European dʰworom enclosure courtyard i e something enclosed by a door cognate with English door and Old Church Slavonic dvor dvorŭ court courtyard Abbott Frank Frost Johnson Allan Chester 1926 Municipal Administration in the Roman Empire Princeton Princeton University Press p 12 External linksWikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Forum Media related to Ancient Roman forums at Wikimedia Commons
