| The concept of Rome as a holy city was present from the beginning. And it not only shaped how the Romans designed their city, it also influenced every political decision its rulers made. The Romans were obsessed with the gods and their moods. And that governed how they behaved from dawn till dusk. Every soldier, every Caesar, believed he had a religious role. To commemorate the greatness of Rome was to celebrate its holy destiny. In this city, religion and politics were inseparable bedfellows. Nowhere is this marriage of sacred and secular more blatant than here at the Forum, the heart of pagan Rome. It was first built in the sixth century BC as a civic centre after the sewers were established and the land drained. And for 1,000 years, it was the centre of Roman public life. Here, speeches were given, criminals were tried, laws were made. And temple after temple was raised to the glory of the gods of Rome. |
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