Even before Caesar's time, the forum was continuously being built. But by the end of the 5th century AD, several attacks on Rome finally caused the end of the Roman empire. The temples, basilicas, and other monuments in the Forum were abandoned and looted. For hundreds of years, this continued until the site became known as Campo Vaccino (the Cow Field). In the 19th century, it became known as the Roman Forum again.

Today, the best preserved monuments are the two triumphal arches. The rest of the ruins are mostly temples or basilicas. What a fabulous place it must have been. What an eerie feeling walking around a place where people had spent so much time thousands of years ago!

We accidentally came upon the forum from Capitoline Hill, where we got a great overview of the forum. The other entrance is across from the Colosseum. It is free and there are drinking fountains throughout the area. We went to see it lit up at night, but it is closed off then. You might be able to see it by night from Capitoline Hill, but we were by the Coloseum and to tired to make the rather long walk.

Some of the ancient temples are nothing but a couple of blocks of stone, and require a lot of imagination. But others still have many pillars left, such as the Tempio di Saturni.

During the day, especially in the high season (spring and fall) it will be very crowded in and around the Forum Romanum. After our visit to the Colosseum we decided to have lunch first and returned around 4 pm. It turned out to be much more pleasant a little later in the day.

Some tips.

First, don’t be cheap; pay to get in. Sure, you can see a lot of the Forum for free from outside. But you need to be down at ground level to get a sense of the size of these buildings. Only then can you really appreciate the drama of the whole scene.

It will also give you perspective on how "lost" this place was for most of modern history. Stand in front of the temple of Antoninus and Faustina, now a church, and its door will hover in space a full story above your head. Why? That was the level to which the Forum had been filled with mud and rubbish by the time the church conversion was made.

Second, pay the secondary fee to get up onto the Palatine. This is one of the seven hills of Rome, and perhaps the most famous. Before the empire, it was the most exclusive neighbourhood in Rome, packed with luxurious town homes of all the best families. Post-Caesar, the emperors slowly bought most of the hillside until it because one massive palace complex.

You get the best views from up here. On the forum side, you get the best view of how the Via Sacra formed a processional route through the area (You know the one … blockbuster parades, Gladiator and Cleopatra). It’s the only place from which you’ll get a clear shot of the pool and inner court of the House of the Vestals. And the views over the rest of the city are dramatic. On the other side, you get the only view of the Circus Maximus that puts it in context. (You know the one … chariot races, Ben Hur.) Only up here can you fully grasp how massive the place really was, and marvel at how exciting those races must have been.

The hill itself is a gold mine of sights. You can scramble around the Domus Augusta, the palace of the emperors, and marvel at the size and sophistication. It even had a private stadium. The nearby House of Livia is reputed to have remarkable wall paintings, but always seems to be closed. There’s also an excellent, small museum that tells the story of the whole Forum/Palatine area.

Third. Do a bit of preparation if you have time. Pop culture thrives on the Ancient Roman scene. Watch or read "I, Claudius". Watch any of the old "sword and sandal" epics. Try Steven Saylor’s "Gordianus the Finder" novels. This fictional detective lives on the Palatine in the late Republic. Saylor’s scene-setting is so accurate you’ll find yourself pointing to corners and thinking: "Gordianus found that clue, just there!".

Once the very heart of the greatest Empire known to man, these few acres are a potent, if ruined, testament to the glory of ancient Rome. As you walk along the Via Sacra, once traversed by emperors and victorious generals, you need a lot of imagination, and perhaps a grasp of history, to fully appreciate what you are seeing. Ignore the crowds of tourists, stop for a moment, and contemplate.

As you exit the Forum through yet another magnificent arch, turn left, and continue up the steep bank until you reach Via Di Monte. There are some magnificent views over the entire Forum, and indeed of the Colosseum itself, as you walk back in the direction of the arch. From here, follow the street as it bends to the left into the elegant square, the Campidoglio. Designed by Michelangelo, the square houses Rome’s town hall, Palazzo Senatorio, an equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the Capitoline Museums. Although I didn’t have time to explore the museums, they are by all accounts extremely impressive.

I recommend reading a lot about the history of ancient Rome before going here, since if you do you will feel like Mr. Chips, with history rising right in front of your eyes.

The major sights are: 1) the Arch of Septimius Severus showing Rome’s victories over Oriental tribes. The arch had an inscription along the top that the arch was to Septimius and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, but after Septimius died, Caracalla murdered Geta and had his brother’s name removed. But even now you can see the holes where his name was removed; 2) the Rostra or public speaking platforms where Mark Anthony delivered his speech after the assassination of Caesar, 3) the Curia - the brick Senate building, 4) the Basilica Aemilia – the place that collected taxes and was burned down during the attack on Rome – it seems that the business here took place until the last minute, since the pavement is full of coins melted in the fire, 5) the Temple of Julius Caesar erected by Augustus in memory of Caesar, 6) the Temple of Castor and Pollux of which only three columns remain, 7) the Temple of Saturn – Saturn was the most important god-king in Rome, who ruled during a prosperous and peaceful Golden Age from which slavery, private property, crime and war were absent, a week in December every year was holidays dedicated to him with exchange of gifts and closing of schools.

These are just a few of the buildings that you can see in the Forum. The Forum is very large and every building and arch deserves to be written about. Here you can see all the Roman history coming alive right in front of your eyes.