The forum was the center of political, commercial and judicial life in ancient Rome. The oldest and most important structures of the ancient city were located in or near the Forum. It's within a short walk from the Colosseum.
You may be wondering, "what is that pile of dirt"?? well.... drumroll please....
The Funeral of Caesar
The corpse of Caesar was carried to the Roman Forum on an ivory couch and set up on the Rostra in a gilded shrine.
Mark Antony delivered his famous speech and a public reading of the Will of Caesar was made, while a mechanical device, positioned above the bier itself, was showing an image of Caesar made of wax, turning it round and round, so that people were able to clearly see the 23 wounds in all parts of the body and on the face. So the crowd moved by the words of Mark Antony, by the Will of Caesar and by the sight of the image of wax tried to carry the corpse to Capitol among the gods and failed. In the end the corpse was set on a funeral pile created near the Regia by using all the wooden things available in the Forum, like wooden benches, and then cremated with a great fire that lasted all the night long. It seems that the ordinary funeral had been prepared at the Campus Martius.
Once again my mind was blown... The Forum was incredible. I could almost picture everyone walking around in their toga's and leafy ring hats... It must of been quite a sight on a rainy day... or a windy day... Woo!
Cheers,
WMMc
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