Editing Ancient Roman architecture (section)

=== Forum ===
{{main|Forum (Roman)}}
{{further|Roman Forum|List of monuments of the Roman Forum}}
[[File:Foro romano tempio Saturno 09feb08 01.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Roman Forum]]]]

During the years of the Republic, Augustus claimed he "found the city in brick and left it in marble".<ref>{{Cite journal|jstor = 43943460|title = A Page from Latin Notes Supplement XV, Entitled SOME STORIES ABOUT THE ROMAN FORUM|journal = Latin Notes|volume = 3|issue = 6|year = 1926}}</ref> While chances are high that this was an exaggeration, there is something to be said for the influx of marble use in Roman Forum from 63 BC onwards. During Augustus' reign, the Forum was described to have been "a larger, freer space than was the Forum of Imperial times."<ref name="Dennison">{{Cite journal|last=Dennison|first=Walter|date=June 1908|title=The Roman Forum as Cicero Saw It|jstor=3287491|journal=The Classical Journal|volume=3|issue=8|pages=318–326}}</ref> The Forum began to take on even more changes upon the arrival of [[Julius Caesar]], who drew out extensive plans for the market hub. While Caesar's death came prematurely, his ideas, as well as Augustus' in regards to the Forum proved to be the most influential for years to come. According to Walter Dennison's ''The Roman Forum As Cicero Saw It'', the author writes that "the diverting of public business to the larger and splendid [[Imperial fora]] erected in the vicinity resulted in leaving the general design of the Forum Romanum".<ref name="Dennison"/>

Every city had at least one [[Forum (Roman)|forum]] of varying size. In addition to its standard function as a marketplace, a forum was a gathering place of great social significance, and often the scene of diverse activities, including political discussions and debates, rendezvous, meetings, etc. The best known example is the [[Roman Forum]], the earliest of several in Rome. In new Roman towns the forum was usually located at, or just off, the intersection of the main north–south and east–west streets (the [[cardo]] and [[decumanus]]). All forums would have a Temple of Jupiter at the north end, and would also contain other temples, as well as the [[basilica]]; a public weights and measures table, so customers at the market could ensure they were not being sold short measures; and would often have the baths nearby.

{{wide image|Foro Traiano panorama.jpg|710px|align-cap=center|A panoramic view of the [[Forum Trajanum]], with [[Trajan's Column]] on the far left.}}