From England to the Sahara and from Spain to the Middle East: the Empire has reached its peak. The oversized dimensions of the Imperial architectures boast the opulence and the power gained by Rome within the 3rd century AD

3 hours - walking tour / by public transportation

The imperial scale is perceivable any time you look at the Imperial Fora and, despite the building and its decorations have gone, you can still feel it. Five squares sided by porches, tiled with gleaming polychrome marble slabs and decorated with columns, friezes and gilded bronze statues were laid out over a period of one and a half century to show the power of Rome.

A new market place was arranged on three levels along the slope of the Quirinale Hill to house shops, warehouses, the administration building and,  probably, some government offices. Next to the Forum of Trajan stands a 140 feet high column decorated with a spiral relief featuring 2.500 figures depicting the story of Trajan's conquest of Rumania.

Keen on art, the emperor Hadrian supported the architectural renewal of Rome and the Pantheon, rich with multicolour marble slabs, is the best example of a space concept totally innovative. Nearby the columns of the temple of the divine Hadrian boast the massive, out-of-scale evidence of the personal propaganda.

In 216 A.D. the Emperor Caracalla inaugurated a vast bath house which could accommodate 1.600 visitors at a time. Romans loved socializing, taking care of their health, training some sports, taking saunas, swimming or simply spending some leisure time together hanging out in the garden around the baths. Pavements and walls were once gorgeously coated with precious marbles totally pillaged to be recycled as buildings materials since the Goths severed the aqueducts in the VI century and they stopped functioning.

For a complete overview of the ancient Rome this tour can be booked together with “Ancient Rome: the beginning” to make a full day visit.