Forum Boarium

Welcome to the Forum Boarium, a place where the economic and religious foundations of Rome were laid long before the city became the capital of an empire. Situated on the left bank of the Tiber River, between the Capitoline,…

Standing before you is the elegant rectangular structure known as the Temple of Portunus. Portunus was an ancient Roman deity associated with keys, doors, and livestock, but specifically here, he was the protector of ports and…

Directly adjacent to the Temple of Portunus stands a strikingly different structure: the round Temple of Hercules Victor, often mistakenly called the Temple of Vesta due to its circular shape. This is the oldest surviving marble…

Across the street stands the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a masterpiece of medieval Roman architecture that hides an ancient secret in its foundations. The church was built in the 6th century AD over the remains of the…

In the portico of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, you will find one of Rome's most popular 'celebrities': the Bocca della Verità, or the Mouth of Truth. This massive marble disc, carved with the face of a bearded deity with hollow eyes…

Tucked away next to the church of San Giorgio al Velabro is the Arch of the Argentari, or the Arch of the Moneychangers. This is not actually a free-standing arch, but a monumental gateway dedicated in 204 AD to the Emperor…

Finally, we come to the massive, square structure known as the Arch of Janus, the only 'quadrifrons' (four-faced) arch preserved in Rome. Built in the 4th century AD, possibly during the reign of Constantine or his son…

Our journey through the Forum Boarium concludes here, amidst the enduring stones of the Republic and the Empire. This area, perhaps more than any other in Rome, reveals the city's true origins—not as a city of kings and conquests…