Rostri (Rostra Platform), Rome

The Rostra was a prominent platform in ancient Rome used for public speeches during the republican and imperial periods. Originally part of the Comitium – the venue for tribal assemblies, – it faced the Senate House and allowed magistrates, politicians, and orators to address assembled citizens. Originally a simple wooden structure, it was built in the 6th century BC. Roman coin depictions suggest it had a circular design with arches and staircases.

The term “Rostra” comes from the Latin word for ship prows. In 338 BC, the platform was decorated with the naval rams from captured ships after the Roman victory at the Battle of Antium.

Beyond political oratory, the Rostra played a darker role in Roman history. It became a site where the severed heads of political enemies, including Cicero, were displayed. Control of the Rostra was significant during the late Republic, with figures like Julius Caesar, Brutus, and Cassius using it to influence public sentiment amid political unrest.

The Rostra also served as a court platform, where magistrates sat in senatorial chairs, overseeing trials while jurors and citizens observed from nearby steps. It was adorned with statues, sundials, and honorary monuments, sometimes removed by Senate decree.

By the imperial period, the "Elder Rostra" was distinguished from later structures bearing the same name. In 44 BC, Caesar created the New Rostra in the Julian Forum. Left unfinished at his death, his successor Augustus completed it as the Rostra Augusti. The remains of it still exist near the Arch of Septimius Severus.