We walked from the Colosseum, past the intricately carved Arch of Constantine, up the hill to the Forum Romanum. The entrance to the Forum is yet another arch- the Arch of Titus, not quite as ornate as that of Constantine, but richly carved nevertheless. The Arch of Titus stands more or less at the top of a low hill, and the path beyond it dips into a shallow, wide bowl across which spreads the Forum. The path is dusty, stony in places, and bordered by trees and shrubs. When we arrived, in the late afternoon, a few crows were hopping about among fallen blocks of marble. Atop some of the columns sat roosting gulls.

Paths lead here and there, off to the left and the right, to each of the monuments in the Forum. We checked out some of them, reading diligently from our guidebook (you’ll need one, unless you’re part of a guided tour- there are no signs to say what the ruins are, or how they’re significant). The best-preserved of the monuments is the imposing Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, a huge building with massive columns; it dominates the right side of the Forum as you walk away from the Arch of Titus. Next to the Temple is another interesting temple, this one dedicated to one of the two legendary founders of Rome: the Temple of Romulus. It’s an unusual round building.

Further on, to the left stand three slender columns- all that remains of what was once the Temple of Vesta. A sacred fire used to be kept burning here in ancient Rome by the Vestal Virgins, the much respected maiden priestesses of the goddess Vesta. Similar to the Temple of Vesta is another set of white marble columns- not quite so elegant, but again on the left. These are the ruins of the Temple of Castor and Pollux, and opposite the temple is an opening into the Cloaca Maxima, the largest sewer in Rome. Beyond the temple, also on the left, are the broad steps of the Basilica of Julius Caesar, a temple built by Augustus Caesar to honour Julius.

Climbing up a slope, we came to the other end of the Forum Romanum- past the ruined Temple of Saturn, and up to the stunningly ornate and well-preserved Arch of Septimus Severus. Our walk through the Forum took us a leisurely hour, and by the end of it, we were truly impressed. This, like the Colosseum, is something that has to be experienced to be believed.

I enter near the Colosseum along the Via Sacra. There’s a gate, but no entry fee. As a history major with 4 years of high-school Latin under my belt, I am in awe of being in this place where so many historical events occurred. You can see the photos I shot in my photo album. The heat does not stop me from visiting as many important sites as I can. Up until the 19th century, the Forum was used as a quarry and a pasture, to say nothing of fire, invasions, and general decay, all of which have detracted from its former glory.

First, I see the Arch of Titus erected by the Emperor Domitian in 81 A.D. in honor of his brother Titus’ victory in the war against the Jews. It is very well preserved. Next, I visit the Basilica of Constantine, or Maxentius. Maxentius started it and Constantine finished it and installed a statue of himself in the central nave. I, next, go to Caesar’s temple which is the spot where he was stabbed, and, later, his body burned after Marc Antony’s famous speech. It faces the Main Square, where legend has it Romulus and Remus came down from Palatine Hill and set up the market celebrated as the founding of Rome.

I pay a small fee to climb up Palatine Hill. It’s cooler and shady up here, but not very interesting. I return to the Main Square, and, with my imagination firing on all cylinders, stop in front of the Temple of the Vestal Virgins. This circular temple with its conical roof housed the sacred fire, which was kept active by the Vestals. As long as the fire burned, Rome would stand.

Next, I head for the Curia, the political center of Rome where the Senate met. I can almost hear Cicero delivering his speeches. I also walk by the Rostra, where anyone could speak to any of the citizens of Rome who would listen. The arch of Septimus Severus and the Temple of Saturn grab my attention before I climb the hill to the Campidoglio and walk back to the hotel exhausted and sweaty, but also exhilarated by what I had seen.

You can take a virtual tour at this website.