The Roman Forum (2015)

The Roman Forum: An Architectural and Reconstruction Guide by Gilbert J. Gorski and James E. Packer was published by Cambridge University Press in 2015.

It is a huge and heavy volume: hardcover (with a dust jacket); large format (24 x 31 cm); 437 pages, with numerous illustrations. Most of them are in colour, while some of them are in black-and-white.

Gilbert J. Gorski is a licensed architect and James E. Packer is a classical scholar. This team has an excellent background to write a book about the ancient monuments found in the Roman Forum.

The book is divided into three parts:

PART ONE covers the history of the Forum:

Chapter 01 – The Augustan Reconstruction

Chapter 02 – From Tiberius to Phocas

PART TWO covers the ancient monuments one by one:

Chapter 03 – The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

Chapter 04 – The Temple of Caesar

Chapter 05 – The Basilica Aemilia

Chapter 06 – The Curia

Chapter 07 – The Arch of Septimius Severus

Chapter 08 – Minor Monuments

Chapter 09 – The Temple of Concord

Chapter 10 – The Temple of Vespasian

Chapter 11 – The Tabularium

Chapter 12 – The Portico of Dei Consentes

Chapter 13 – The Temple of Saturn

Chapter 14 – The Basilica Julia

Chapter 15 – The Arch of Tiberius

Chapter 16 – The Schola Xanthi

Chapter 17 – The Diocletianic Honorary Columns

Chapter 18 – The Temple of Castor and Pollux

Chapter 19 – The Parthian Arch of Augustus

Chapter 20 – The temple of Vesta

PART THREE sums up the preceding 20 chapters:

Chapter 21 – Conclusions (with six sections)

** The Augustan Forum

** The Flavian Forum

** The Antonine Forum

** The Severan Forum

** The Diocletianic Forum

** The End of the Forum

At the end of the book there are five appendices:

** Glossary

** Notes

** Bibliography

** Sources for coin images

** Index

The numerous illustrations can be dived into three categories:

# 1. Reconstructions (small-scale models or computer drawings) which show us how each of these monuments (probably) looked in antiquity.

# 2. Photos which show us what we can see when we visit the place today.

# 3. Other sources – first and foremost ancient coins with motives which are relevant for the ancient monuments of the forum.

This book is not a guidebook which you can take with you while you are visiting the Forum in Rome. It is much too big and too heavy for that. This book must be read and studied in your home. If you are going to visit the Forum in Rome, this book is an excellent tool for your preparation. It is also a great work for the armchair traveller.

It is a beautiful volume with fabulous illustrations. The text offers detailed historical background information, so you can understand what you see when you are looking at the illustrations.

But it is not perfect. I have two complaints about it:

# 1. Three monuments are missing: the Arch of Titus, the Basilica of Maxentius and the House of the Vestals. Several arches are covered, but not the Arch of Titus. Several basilicas are covered, but not the Basilica of Maxentius. The Temple of Vesta is covered, but not the House of the Vestals. I do not understand why these monuments are missing.

# 2. The book is very expensive. The high price will keep many potential buyers away from it. But if you are interested in ancient history, in particular the history of ancient Rome, this volume is definitely something for you.

In spite of these negative remarks, I think this product deserves a rating of five stars.

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The Roman Forum: An Architectural and Reconstruction Guide

By Gilbert J. Gorski & James E. Packer

Cambridge University Press (hardcover) 2015

Format: 24 x 31 cm, 437 pages

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