Trajan’s Forum and Market: A Roman Architectural Marvel
Trajan’s Forum: An Architectural Wonder of Ancient Rome
Trajan’s Forum was built by order of Emperor Trajan with the spoils of war from the conquest of Dacia, which ended in 106 AD.1 Records indicate that the Forum was inaugurated in 112 AD, a year before Trajan’s Column. The construction of this monumental complex required extensive excavations. Workers removed the sides of the Quirinal and Capitoline Hills, which closed the valley occupied by the Imperial Forums to the Campus Martius.
It is possible that the excavations were initiated under Emperor Domitian, while the Forum’s design is credited to the architect Apollodorus of Damascus,1 who also accompanied Emperor Trajan on the Dacian campaign. During the construction, other projects were undertaken: Trajan’s Market was built,1 and the Forum of Caesar and the Temple of Venus Genetrix were restored.
Trajan’s Forum was more intricate and complex than its predecessors. It included a large square (300×185), flanked by porticos with exedras. The imposing Basilica Ulpia stood behind the square, with Trajan’s Column between two libraries (Greek and Latin). A triumphal arch marked the entrance to the square. The monumental complex was used for solemn public ceremonies, honoring distinguished figures.
North of the Basilica was a smaller square with a temple dedicated to the deified Trajan. Only a market area and Trajan’s Column remain today. The square’s attic featured sculptures of Dacian prisoners, and the frieze was adorned with victories sacrificing bulls, chandeliers, acanthus, and chair rails.
Trajan’s Market: A Multi-Level Commercial Center
The market is traditionally attributed to the same architect as the Forum: Apollodorus of Damascus. It was built in stages as a 6-story building, connected by wide steps, housing commercial spaces. This brick building contained about 150 small shops, used for administration and retail trade. It was set in a fan shape to conform to the exedra of the Forum, separated by a semicircular paved street.
On the ground floor, a street opened to tabernae, wider than deep, with lintels and jambs. Each room had a window above the threshold. At the top, windows overlooked a corridor, separated by pilasters. The most original feature is a room covered with a groin vault, resembling a clerestory.
Basilica Ulpia: A Center of Roman Civic Life
The Basilica Ulpia was a significant building in the history of Rome. Part of Trajan’s Forum, it takes its name from Emperor Trajan’s dynasty. It closed off the northwest side of the complex, being the largest building. It was looted in the Middle Ages, its marble used to build churches and houses.
Temple of Peace: A Monument to Vespasian’s Victory
From 71 to 74 AD, Vespasian built the Temple of Peace near the Forum of Augustus, storing riches plundered after the fall of Jerusalem. The building was slightly away from the previous forums, open to the Velia hill towards the Colosseum. The square in front of the temple was designed as a garden with ponds and statues. The building had no civil function. Its inclusion as part of the Imperial Forums is debated.