The Roman Forum

Wonders of the World

by David Watkin

One of the most visited sites in Italy, the Roman Forum is also one of the best-known wonders of the Roman world. Though a highpoint on the tourist route around Rome, for many visitors the site can be a baffling disappointment. Several of the monuments turn out to be nineteenth- or twentieth-century reconstructions, while the rubble and the holes made by archaeologists have an unclear relationship to the standing remains, and, to all but the most skilled Romanists, the Forum is an unfortunate mess. David Watkin sheds completely new light on the Forum, examining the roles of the ancient remains while revealing what exactly the standing structures embody—including the rarely studied medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, as well as the nearby monuments that have important histories of their own. Watkin asks the reader to look through the veneer of archaeology to rediscover the site as it was famous for centuries. This involves offering a remarkable and engaging new vision of a well-visited, if often misunderstood, wonder. It will be enjoyed by readers at home and serve as a guide in the Forum.

Genres: History, Architecture, Nonfiction, Archaeology, Italy, Classics, Travel

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2009

About the author

David John Watkin, MA PhD LittD Hon FRIBA FSA (born 1941) is a British architectural historian. He is an Emeritus Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and Professor Emeritus of History of Architecture in the Department of History of Art at the University of Cambridge. He has also taught at the Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture.[1]
David Watkin is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is Vice-Chairman of the Georgian Group, and was a member of the Historic Buildings Council and its successor bodies in English Heritage from 1980-1995.

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.

Most books about the Roman Forum would tend to focus on the Roman period itself, but this rather fascinatingly did a survey through time — not only the classical Roman period origins of the Forum, but the transformations over the years since. The authors strongly feels the importance of seeing the Forum as a living place, somewhere that developed since the time of the Roman Empire, so he spends much time lovingly describing the churches built on the site as well. It’s an approach I definitely appreciate: it’s ridiculous to try and stop the clock of the Forum at the end of the Empire, or to think it was always just one thing throughout that period either. We can’t turn the clock back, so the Forum is best embraced for what it is, rather than attempting to freeze it in time.

I did find this book fascinating, but my one quibble is that the author is almost aggressively against archaeology. He complains frequently about excavation in the forum. And yes, some of it has been done destructively, and I do disagree with trying to tear down anything that was built since Constantine reigned (or whatever your chosen marker point might be). But at the same time, archaeology can be of great value, and I would also be sad if the Forum were to be barred to archaeologists.

[Wayne]

This is pretty dry as a pleasure read, but there's a lot of good information on individual forum buildings especially if you were about to visit. The author does a good job of showing us the forum isn't just an ancient site. There's important history and architectural beauty beyond the Roman Empire period and an almost constant push and pull between those who recognize it, and those who want to "restore" the forum to it's ancient buildings only. Shall we pull down the baroque churches in favor of showing visitors foundations of long destroyed Roman buildings?

[David Keogh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read much of this on successive days wondering around the Forum. Being able to see the ruins being described certainly helped to appreciate the book and my appreciation of the site was very much improved by the book. It is certainly a lot better to read this while in the Forum than have to be dragged around by a tedious guide.

[Steve Downes · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very good academic guide to a difficult historic site, wish I read something like this before I visited Rome

[A YOGAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forum als Palimpsest
In „The Roman Forum“ rehabilitiert David Watkin die berühmteste Ausgrabungsstätte Roms vom Ruf eines „unverständlichen Trümmerfelds“: das Römisches Forum. Er kritisiert einen rein archäologischen Blick, der das Areal als Ansammlung von Fundamenten und Säulenstümpfen isoliert, und plädiert stattdessen für eine Perspektive der historischen Kontinuität.
Watkin lenkt die Aufmerksamkeit bewusst auf die oft übersehenen mittelalterlichen und barocken Kirchen sowie auf die Rekonstruktionsleistungen der Neuzeit. Das Forum erscheint so nicht als statisches Museum, sondern als lebendiger Palimpsest, dessen Faszination gerade in der Überlagerung der Jahrhunderte liegt.

Zum Inhalt: Vom „Mess“ zum Meisterwerk
Watkin hilft Besuchern wie Lesern, das scheinbare Chaos zu ordnen – mit analytischer Präzision und einem Sinn für historische Ironie.
Jenseits der Trümmer
Er zeigt, dass viele der vermeintlich „antiken“ Säulen und Strukturen in Wahrheit Rekonstruktionen des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts sind. Das Forum ist nicht nur antik, sondern auch Produkt moderner Restaurationsideale.
Verborgene Schichten
Im Zentrum steht die Transformation: Tempel wurden zu Kirchen, politische Räume zu liturgischen Orten. Diese architektonischen „Übermalungen“ sind keine Störungen, sondern Schlüssel zum Verständnis der römischen Geschichte.
Der kritische Guide
Das Buch wirkt wie ein Gegenentwurf zum klassischen Reiseführer. Es schärft den Blick für das, was zwischen den Steinen steht – für Bedeutungsverschiebungen, ideologische Eingriffe und die fortwährende Neuerfindung der Antike.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

'further rostra were built in the late Empire in front of the Temple of Divus Julius, but the remains were destroyed in the nineteenth century by archaelogists in the false belief that they were medieval and therefore of no interest" (Watkin: 102)

This book is about the Roman Forum, which the book describes from its foundations up to recent years. To describe it the author uses different sources, including the drawings by Piranesi or the descriptions by Cicero.

The book tells you what the Forum was used for over the different periods of time, how it was recommended to visit in tourist guides or when certain Roman buildings were excavated.

The book blames some archaeological methods and certain archaelogists for all the damage caused to the Roman Forum. The book also shows how women did take part in its restoration/excavation, which is very nice.

The book sometimes seems to diverge from the main topic by referring largely to monuments that are not part of the Roman Forum. And not all the ideas are well justified in terms of where the evidence comes from. Despite all this the book is worth reading, as it analyses deeply enough a monument that most art history courses only study in its Roman stage.

[Dainora · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a fascinating read. There is a lot of historical contexts behind every building he describes in this book. The Temple of Vesta section was interesting to read about. The Arch of Titus was another interesting piece of historical context that I didn't know about. It's very well researched and referenced which I really appreciate in a book like this.

It is very heavy on information. I found that I had to take a break and come back to it. I also thought that googling the temples/arches helped me understand some of the descriptions about the buildings.
His one downside is that he was pretty disgusted with early archaeologists for destroying some churches because they were not part of the original ancient architecture.

This book just made me want to come back to the Roman Forum once more but this time I would have so much more information that I didn't have the first 2 times I've been there.

[Garry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a strange little book about the history of the ruins of the Roman Forum; how much we don't know about, how much is recreated and not original, the battle between archeological exploration and the desire of people to leave things as they are or clean things up...etc.

And there is typographical error on page 53, where a period is missing after the word, Peloponnese, and a new sentence should begin with the next word. Frustrating to have to puzzle out the correct intention.

[BEC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after viewing the Roman Forum about a month earlier, so I found it very interesting. I love Watkin's use of historical etchings and drawings as well as the book layout. It just makes me want to go back and read more about it.

[Brian Bigelow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather quick read of the architectural history of Rome. Not quite as in depth as I would like but does a good job showing what dates to ancient times and what is essentially more modern creations.

[Virani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una guía excelente para conocer el Foro de Roma.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well put overview of history of Forum. A mandatory read to prepare oneself for a visit to it.

[Brett Linsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkably sensuous book. Watkins saves the forum from the archeologists. With great clarity he guides us through the areas history through the present to see the romance of a place that is far more than the ruins of the republic. For Watkins, it is the accumulation of different reminisces and memories that truly being the forum to life.

[Charles]

I remember reading this years ago. It's a very detailed and focused book on the Forum Romanum (the famous one in Rome). In his book, Watkin shows us that the Roman forum in Rome was not just some Augustan monument of marble, but an organic and every changing space, which had a constantly changing history from the Republican era into the Medieval era and into Mussolini's time. Mussolini ignored much of the history of the forum in Rome and excavated and partially restored only certain aspects of Roman history, even though Rome itself and the forum have had thousands of years of history. What is chosen to be shown and what is discarded or ignored?

Here, Watkin gets the reader to ask himself whether we are preserving history by digging it up and only showing one aspect of it (e.g. Augustan Rome instead of Republican Rome, also which time period of the Republic..?). What do we gain by doing that? By ignoring the several layers of history that constitute rich archaeological sites, such as a constantly occupied area like Rome.

Very detailed and well researched short book on the Forum Romanum.

[Janelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only bits I was particularly interested were about the Temple of Vesta and the shrine to Justurna.

Those I found interesting...the rest...perhaps might have been a more engaging read if I had ever been to Rome.

Still, the main thrust of the book, that part of what makes the Forum interesting as a historical site is the mix of times, cultures, priorities, and architecture it represents is a good one. I think people more immediately interested in the Forum as an archaeological site should read this.

[Steve Llewellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting approach. Watkins looks at the total history of the forum as an organic, evolving sacred space until it was take over by the archaeologists. Instead of a celebration of the rediscovery of monuments we are told how many areas are imaginative reconstructions and many beautiful and functional buildings have been sacrificed on the altar of archaeology for little real gain. The book contains a photo of the senate house when it functioned as a church before purification. Staggering! A very worthwhile read especially if you are a blinkered classicist as I am.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting short history of the Roman Forum. The author is critical of the destruction of certain medieval churches in the forum. He also points out that many of the landmarks (such as the arch of Titus) are modern reconstructions. Highly Recommended.