Audio Guide: Roman Forum and Imperial Forums Walking Tour (Self Guided), Rome

t's a known fact that Rome wasn't built in a day. But since it was built, the city has stood the test of time and become "eternal." A popular proverb says, "all roads lead to Rome," but very few realize that, inside Rome itself, all roads lead to the Forum.

Indeed, the central hub of ancient Rome, the Roman Forum and the Imperial Forums once served as the city's commercial, civic, and religious core for over a thousand years.

The area's development is believed to have started around the 7th century BC, during the Roman Kingdom. Under the Roman Republic, the Forum became a heart of governance and a venue for public speeches, elections, and trials. As such, it contained important structures, such as the Senate House, basilicas, and temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses, as well as triumphal arches commemorating military victories.

Some notable buildings within the Forum include the Temple of Saturn, the Temple of Vesta, the Arch of Septimius Severus, and the Rostra platform for public orations. Over the centuries, the Forum witnessed numerous historic events, such as the funeral of Julius Caesar and the triumphal processions of victorious Roman generals.

During the late republican and subsequent imperial periods, a series of new squares (known as forums) were added. The first of them was that of Julius Caesar, an ambitious general, who ultimately became the dictator of Rome. The successive emperors, such as Augustus and Nerva, followed suit by glorifying themselves and their achievements in the forums of their own. These came to be known as Imperial Forums. The most grandiose of them was the Forum of Trajan.

Both the Roman and the Imperial Forums were gradually abandoned and fell into disrepair following the decline of the Roman Empire. Still, today their ruins serve as popular tourist sights, topping the list of must-see attractions that offer a glimpse into the grandeur and splendor of ancient Rome.

"The Forum speaks," they say, meaning that the ruins of the Roman Forum have a story to tell anyone who seeks insights into the past. Nonetheless, albeit a highlight on the tourist trail of Rome, the Forum can be a baffling disappointment for visitors as it lacks due signage and information. In this respect, you'll be much better off if visit it armed with a GPSmyCity self-guided mobile app.