The Forum from the Palatine

by Weston Westmoreland

Title

The Forum from the Palatine

Artist

Weston Westmoreland

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

The whole Roman Forum as seen from Palatine Hill.

Rome was bigger than the Forum, but this was the core, the heart of the Empire. Huge to be an archaeological site in the middle of a modern capital, but so small to have ruled the lands around the Mediterranean for centuries, two of them in peace and prosperity.

All the stories you heard from Rome happened down there. To the left, the Arch of Septimius, to the right the Colosseum. In between, our common past. Julius Caesar used to live in a house down in the middle, by those trees. When he was murdered his wife came out running along the street that leads to the Curia, the square building by the arch to the left where the senate conferred.

Down this main street surrounded by grandiose buildings that are no more, the victor generals would be received and honored by the Roman citizens while a servant held the olive crown over his head and repeated to him he should remember he was just a mortal man.

There is a narrow wide brick tribune, the "Rostra", to the left of the Arch of Septimius from where magistrates would speak to the people, and from which the bronze stems of the enemy war-ships protruded as prizes.

There was the Temple of Jupiter, Vesta, Castor and Pollux, there was...

The Forum would grow beyond after the Republic turned to empire, but the true heart of Rome Remained in these streets and temples.

Walking the Forum is an amazing experience. So much of the history that defined the Western world happened down there...

If only stones could talk, uh?

I will walk the Forum again some day.

You can learn more about what drives me in my blog:

http://inspiringthoughtsandimages.com/

Weston Westmoreland.

Uploaded

February 6th, 2014

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