Understanding the Roman Forum

This video explores the tangled thousand-year history of the Roman Forum with reference to the surviving monuments.

Check out my other YouTube channels, @toldinstonefootnotes and @scenicroutestothepast

Please consider supporting toldinstone on Patreon:

If you're so inclined, you can follow me elsewhere on the web:

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:39 Burial and excavation
1:22 Origins
2:12 The Regia and Temple of Vesta
3:16 The Forum Square
4:07 The Rostra
4:57 The Basilicas
5:50 TripleTen
7:15 Caesar and his temple
8:19 Augustus and his successors
9:12 The Arch of Septimius Severus
10:07 The Temple of Saturn
10:51 The Curia
11:41 Late Antiquity
12:23 The end of the Forum

[HistoriaMoneta]

The state of the forum in the middle ages is the most mind blowing thought for me. Thinking about all of the incredible history that happened in the forum since the founding of the city - the contiones, the triumphs, the conflicts, the gladiator fights, the beast hunts, the feasts, the festivals, the senate meetings, etc.- all but forgotten. The footsteps of the greatest and most infamous men of Rome in the epicenter of the greatest empire the world has ever known - now nothing more than a pasture for cattle to graze. It is hard to comprehend.

[sppl]

walking the roman forum is easily the greatest thing i've gotten to do in my life so far. i studied in rome for a few weeks (should've been a few months but this was spring 2020 and a little thing kinda got in the way) and i must say that there is no where on earth that you can feel the weight of those who walked before us than the heart of rome. The coliseum and palatine hill and forum all right there, you realize that where you stand was the center of the entire known western world for almost an entire millennium. its just a historical heft that i have yet to feel anywhere else on earth. yes im drunk. thank you garrett for your unbelievable work as always! SPQR!

[toa_cracau]

Every single time I think "oh I wish there was a good quality video on this thing" I see a toldinstone notification about a new video about exactly what I want

Could you make a video on the less well known high importance monuments in ancient Rome? Like the temple of the divine Augustus that was built behind the basilica Iulia?

[aeliusdawn]

I visited the forum in March. The most striking thing of all that images cannot properly illustrate is the sheer scale of it all. Sure, most of it is gone but what remains is far larger than I had imagined.

[KlaunVI]

It's not just the information you convey. It's the obvious passion with which you do it. It's not just facts and figures to you, and that shows in your work. You make this history digestible to everyone. Your voice is also cool and mellow, and I could listen all day. Cheers.

[MayaUndefined]

i sometimes wonder what it'll be like for our country -- the mall in washington a pasture for grazing cows, the senate turned into a warehouse, the washington monument surrounded by an orchard...

[fuferito]

08:14
Incredible that folks still lay fresh flowers to Julius Caesar, a man who died more than 2080 years ago.

[impguardwarhamer]

its so crazy to see such an important historical site after a few hundred years turned back to mashland grazed by cattle.

[nickywags]

I am coming back to this video after seeing it last month! I have just seen the Forum for the first time in my life about two hours ago and your videos gave me so much context, I had a longg talk with my tour guide about all sorts of aspects of life back then. It was really amazing seeing it firsthand and thank you for making these videos!
Also they have just opened up the imperial palaces remains to the public! so I was able to walk around and see the original frescos in the bath houses that many emporers might have bathed in! it is a very cool section on palantine hill that is worth the visit now it is open properly for people

[MrAristaeus]

Having just visited Rome and having spent an inordinate amount of time at the Musei Capitolini, the timing of the post is perfect!

[cervore]

I actually started working as a reception/security personnel at the Forum Park this month, and I read much of this to get prepared. The visit is a must, and I recommend the Full Experience ticket to see all exhibitions.

[FrankyBabes]

Crazy to think that Caesar has been dead well over 70 years, and yet people still lay flowers at his temple

[johnkeck]

Making the confusing aspects of the ancient world comprehensible. Great video, Garrett!

[charlesvaughan]

Loved the detail about the grass reclaiming the forum

[Askorti]

0:40 It's absolutely incredible that parts of a city can simply be... buried. How does that happen? There's still people living in the city, and yet the ground level can just rise by tens of feet? I find that perplexing.

[TetsuShima]

8:05
You know you've truly changed the world forever when, even 2, 000 years after your lifetime, people still leave flowers at your death site.
*AVE CAESAR*

[paulkoza]

Just like Rome, in 1000 years, all of what we see today will be dust. Thanks, Garrett, your tour was better than the one I had. There are better Roman ruins today outside of Rome. I've been fortunate to see many of them.

[patricksanders]

I hope someday that there will be a augmented/ vr tour of the forum. Imagine walking along with ancient Romans in the forum. Maybe see a triumph procession?!!! Listen to the Caesars!!

[Drety]

for other videos, ads bother me, for yours, wishing you much success and sponsorship. great content

[Spudforth]

Wow! Thank you! I’ve seen the Forum in it’s current form, on TV many times; finally, context! Thank you!