How did the Senate Work in Ancient Rome?

One of the most outstanding buildings of the Roman Forum is the Senate. Originally it was called Curia Hostilia since it marked its origins way back to the king Tullus Hostilius (6th century BCE). Julius Caesar, after having celebrated his triumph in Rome in the year 50 BCE, decided to increase the number of the senators from 300 to 900, but the space of the Curia Hostilia wasn't big enough to accommodate the new patricians. This issue gave him the chance to build a new larger Senate House, and at the same time on the back of the new Senate he began the construction of his own forum dedicated to Venus Julia, mother of his dynasty. The building that still today stands in good conditions is the House he created. Another reason why this building remained almost intact until the present times is its transformation into a church in the seventh century BCE.
My tours of ancient Rome tantalize the curiosity of my customers and give an extra edge to the people who love the history of Rome.

The triumphal arches in ancient Rome

The image of the arches we have today is of buildings that spoke of the glorious past of Rome. However, few people know that these arches were a propaganda medium and were used to glorify the emperors in charge. If you may decide to see the ancient Rome with my excursions, you will be told that many other arches decorated ancient Rome. In fact ,these monuments once stood not only in the Roman Forum but also in in the main consular roads such as the Via Flaminia that today is called Via del Corso.
Nowadays we can see only the arch of Titus and the arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum, together with the arch of Constantine, but it's good to remember that buildings such as the Circus Maximus had triumphal arches as well.

Where did the kins of Rome live?

In ancient Rome writers argued about the exact position of the kings house. The tradition wants that Romulus, when he plowed the Roma Quadrata at the bottom of the Palatine hill, decided to create his residence on top of the palatine, that was also naturally fortified. His successors, however, including Numa Pompilius and the Etruscan kings, preferred to build their houses in the Roman Forum. Vestiges of what is today the kins residence survive in the regia of the Roman Forum, located in front of the temple of Antoninus and Faustina. Archaeologists use to explain that this type of house had from four to six rooms, some of which were dedicated to worship of the gods and of the Lares. When the kings were expelled in 509 BCE, the house will be inhabited by the Pontifex Maximus who was the main religious priest in ancient Rome. More you may know when you will book my private tours of Rome.

What was the role of the basilicas in the Roman Forum?

The Roman Forum was not only used by the Romans as a meeting place or to praise their ancestors during funeral speeches. A pivotal function of the Forum was to render justice in civil law.
In fact the main trials of ancient Rome were celebrated in the basilicas, that were large rectangular roofed areas devoted to this legal practice.
If you by chance have taken my tours of Rome, I use to show my clients the remains of the basilica Julia, created by Julius Caesar and located on the longer side of the main market square. basilicas were also used to sign important contracts and to buy real estate.

Where did Romulus the first king of Rome die?

When walking inside the Roman Forum, there is always chance to see, beyond the arch of Septimius Severus, a paved area that is dark gray color. On the Via Sacra, before the entrance to the Roman senate, a small staircase takes the visitors in a subterranean area. This place is currently called the tomb of Romulus, but indeed it's a sanctuary dedicated to Vulcan, the god of the craftsmen. In the same place, a stone is carved with the oldest inscription in Latin language ,warning the visitors to not violate that sacred place. According to Livy, two are the accounts related to the death of Romulus: he may have been killed by the senators outside of the senate exactly in the place called later on Volcanal, or in the campus Martius when parading his troops. A lightning shrouded him and took him off the ground forever.

The treasures of the Capitol Hill

A very good visit to the ancient Rome begins with the Capitol Hill for a number of good reasons. First of all, the capitol is the smallest of the seven hills and it was used as the religious hill of the Etruscans and the Romans. In 509 BCE, when the Etruscan king tarquin the Proud was expelled from Rome, the Romans inaugurated the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus that was the largest temple of that time. That temple was used by the Roman generals for the main sacrifices to thank the gods at the end of the triumphal procession that took them safely back to Rome. The Capitol hill today appears in its new architectural setting designed by Michelangelo and it's the seat of the city hall of Rome. The major of Rome has his offices on the Capitol.

The layers of the Roman Forum

Few people know today that, if you join my tours of ancient Rome, you will be able to see some of the layers of the early Rome. Archaeologists are still today digging to understand if the Rome of Romulus existed and if it has been an intentional foundation. For example, last year a sensational discovery of the Lupercal may shed new light on the cult of the she wolf in ancient Rome.