Through My Lens: The Forum Romanum

The most common thing readers typically ask is for me to tell them about my research. Where did you go? What all did you see? Which sites were the most meaningful for you, personally?

In the next few weeks, I've decided to get a little more personal about specific places in which I've spent time, researching the Antonius Trilogy. I'll share my specific thoughts, as well as some fun-facts I learned in my travels. This week, I simply couldn't resist discussing the Roman Forum. It is truly at the heart of my first book, Antonius: Son of Rome and plays integral parts in both Second in Command and my upcoming Antonius: Legend.

If one visits Rome for the first time, and doesn't know much of its history, it's easy to mistakenly assume that everything you see was "there" throughout the entire ancient period. That is, of course, not the case. In fact, a historical fiction author like myself has to really use a lot of imagination in depicting and describing what the late Republican layout in the Forum would have looked like, because most of what you see today wasn't even built yet. The other problem is that many of the things I wish I could see no longer exist. It's a good thing that imagination is a powerful tool!

I shot the above photo from the western end of the Forum. I was actually standing inside the Tabularium--believed by most scholars to have been Republican Rome's massive archive building, and now a portion of the Capitoline Museum. In the center of this photo, toward the very bottom, you'll see a low, red-brick structure that looks hollowed-out. That is the rebuilt Rostra, the way it would have been facing in the Imperial period. Therefore, it's not the actual structure from which Marcus Antonius gave Caesar's funeral oration. Again... the problem of "seeing" the Forum as it was in the day is impossible! The original layout of the entire Comitium area--Rostra, Senate House (Curia), etc. was angled more off to the left of the picture, north of the Septimius Severus Arch (pictured). Now, look straight down the middle of the photo. There's another low, dark building with a slight point to its roof. It doesn't look like much now, but it's the remains of the Temple of Julius Caesar--built by Octavian after Caesar's assassination. It will be discussed some in my next book. To this day, people leave flowers inside the remains of this Temple in Caesar's memory. It is said to have been built on the exact spot where the plebs dragged his corpse and cremated it.

Now let your eye wander up to the right. There's a lofty hill up there, and that's the Palatine Hill where most of the Senatorial families had homes, including the Antonii. Nobody knows exactly where Marcus's domus was located up there, but for me, it's always amazing to just wander among the trees and gardens, as it's just a magical setting. Again, I find myself using my imagination to ponder what it may have looked like in the Republican Period.

One of my most vivid memories on the Palatine is receiving special permission by the Italian government to visit the House of the Griffins (photo at right). Much of what you visit in Rome is subterranean. House of the Griffins is literally buried under other ancient architecture on the Palatine and though nobody knows (yet!) whose house it was, a stunning rendering of two facing griffins is plastered in relief on one wall, which gave the site its name.

---

I was officially escorted by Italian security officers down a lofty set of steel stairs that were dauntingly steep. There were lights that they turned on as we progressed, and let me tell you--it was dark down there! This particular site fascinated me, as it's an old Republican home over which some of the Flavian Palaces were built. Because of the wall-paintings it's been dated to at least the 2nd century BC--older than my Trilogy's story! 

Notice the interesting frescoes. They are classified as "First Style" wall-paintings. First Style designs don't have people or animals depicted. Instead look at the lovely geometrical designs toward the bottom, but even more fascinating is the agate or marbling that was painted onto the space, imitating a natural stone surface.

It was fascinating getting to explore the House of the Griffins, though not much of it is accessible. I imagined someone like Marcus Junius Brutus living there, with its strict, old-fashioned decor that probably would have been in his family for generations.

---

Aside from the Palatine Hill, my favorite spot in Rome is probably the Tabularium. I actually wrote a scene there in Son of Rome because the place had made such an impression on me. (The scene where Fadia is freed!) Anyway, built in the 70's BC, this place has been used continually throughout its history--even as an apartment complex at one point! One of the reasons I think it speaks to me, is that IF it really was a public records building, then all of my main characters--Marcus, Caesar, Cicero--ALL of them probably walked inside it at one time or another. I've mentioned the poignant display of Roman funerary steles before, located inside the Tabularium. It's definitely worth the time whenever you visit Rome, and only accessible through the Capitoline Museum.

The Tabularium's architecture never ceases to awe me whenever I go inside. Lofty archways, austere Republican stone-work, and the view from the top is the Forum picture I shared at the beginning of this blog! It has to be one of the best views of the Forum Romanum in all of Rome! i'm closing with a photo I took of my cousin this past summer (at right). We were inside the Tabularium and the sheer magnitude of the arches and grand space compared to Mike (who's a pretty tall guy!) is so impressive.

For now I close, but I invite everyone back next week, when through my lens, I'll share part of a place that will figure prominently in my upcoming book, Antonius: Legend. Next week... Alexandria, Egypt! See you there!

---