The Forum Boarium | Turismo Roma
Live Rome, discover Rome
Tourist services and cultural offer
+39060608
Your tailor-made trip

Social Block

You are here

The Forum Boarium

Foro Boario
Foro Boario
Foro Boario

The Forum Boarium was the space given over to the cattle market and was situated between the Tiber and the Capitoline, Palatine, and Aventine hills.

According to legend, when Hercules arrived in this area with Geryon’s oxen, he was robbed of these by the giant Cacus, who lived in a cave at the foot of the Aventine hill. After slaying the giant, Hercules was honoured as a god by the ancient dwellers of the Palatine hill, the Arcadians, who are said to have dedicated an alter to him – the Ara Maxima. The tufa stone core of this altar is housed inside the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.

The area, which in remote times had a marsh called the Velabrum, was reclaimed by the Etruscan kings (6th century BC) by building the great sewer, the Cloaca Maxima, and the remains of its arches are still visible.

The reign of Servius Tullius (6th century BC) is considered the time when the Tiber port was built and which extended where the Rome registry office building (the “Anagrafe”) is today.

The two temples towards the Tiber date back to the Republic. The rectangular one was dedicated to the river god Portunus, while the round one was dedicated to Hercules the Victor.

A series of great works were carried out in the imperial period, such as the Trajan period (98-117 AD) warehouses near the river port, the elegant Arch of the Argentari of the Severan age (204 AD), and the four-fronted Arch of Janus, an imposing structure probably built in the reign of Constance II (337-361 AD).

You may also be interested in

The river Tiber

Il Tevere
The river Tiber

According to legend, the history of Rome begins right here

Information

Address 
POINT (12.4808208 41.8901049)
Timetables 

Area open at the public

Share Condividi

Location

Foro Boario, Via Luigi Petroselli
Via Luigi Petroselli
41° 53' 24.378" N, 12° 28' 50.9556" E

 

To find out about all accessibility services, visit the Rome accessible section.

Media gallery

Media gallery
Foro BoarioForo Boario

Node Json Map Block

Interactive map

Choose events and services nearby