Roman Forum

The Forum (a Latin word meaning open space or market place) was the administrative and corporate heart of Rome. Generally this word referred to the open space in any Roman town where business, judicial, civic, or religious activities were conducted. A typical forum might be surrounded by temples, shops, and basilicas (large, covered structures used for various meetings).
In Rome, there were several forums. The most famous, the Roman Forum, was designed by the architect Vitruvius who felt the proportions needed to be 3:2 (length to width). For centuries, the Roman Forum was the site of the…