A Forum Civilium (pl. fora civilia, civil forum) was a judicial center in Ancient Rome during the Roman Empire. These judicial forums were extensions of the Roman Forum (Forum) which had become congested with commercial and civic activity.
The three major civic forums were the Forums of Caesar and Augustus, and the Roman Forum. The forums were not used for commercial activity, but used as a meeting place for dealings in public affairs as well as the noblest activities that were before held in the Forum.
Julius Caesar built the first Imperial Forum 56-154 BC to relieve congestion in the old forum.
The Forum of Augustus was built to celebrate Augustus's victory over Brutus and Cassius, the assassins of Julius Caesar. The temple was dedicated to Mars Ultor the Avenger and was adorned with statues; on the attic of the porticos ran a decoration of female figures (Caryatids) and clipeus.
This forum has incredible architecture for the time. In conjunction with the establishment of the fora civilia, commercial activity was moved from the Forum and started in the Fora Venalia along the Tiber.
Famous quotes containing the word forum:
“What is called eloquence in the forum is commonly found to be rhetoric in the study. The orator yields to the inspiration of a transient occasion, and speaks to the mob before him, to those who can hear him; but the writer, whose more equable life is his occasion, and who would be distracted by the event and the crowd which inspire the orator, speaks to the intellect and heart of mankind, to all in any age who can understand him.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)