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The Roman Forum Through the Ages: A Four Part Course with Veronica Iacomi

The Roman Forum Through the Ages: A Four Part Course with Veronica Iacomi


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after each event.

Beating at the heart of the ancient city, the Roman Forum is one of the most outstanding places to experience the thousand-year-long history of Ancient Rome. From the Tiber floods of the Archaic period to the bustling activity of the Republican age, from the lavish monumentality of the Imperial age to the decadence of Late Antiquity and Middle Ages, the Forum is the perfect venue to observe the development of the Eternal City, from the prehistory to our very present days. 

Led by an expert on Roman Archaeology and Tour Guide of Rome, Veronica Iacomi, this Conversation will represent an exploration of the main monumental buildings of the Roman Forum in the wider perspective of Roman History. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased an overall knowledge of and familiarity with one of the most iconic archaeological venues of Rome. 

Lecture One – The  Archaic Period
After a brief overview of the geology of the Valley and of the human presence before the foundation of Rome, we'll discover how the valley was chosen as the public gathering place for the communities living on the Hills around it. Recent excavations and studies just shed new light on the Archaic Period (VIII-VI c. BC) monuments, with a special focus on the Cloaca Maxima and the Sanctuary of Vesta.

Lecture Two – The Republican Period
With the Roman State getting more and more structured, the Forum gets adorned with temples and public buildings, often commissioned or paid for by wealthy private citizens. Among the monuments taken into consideration are the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Basilicas, and the Rostra.

Lecture Three – The Imperial Age
From Augustus to Maxentius, the Forum, despite progressively losing its political importance, still retains its representative role and keeps on being populated by meaningful monuments: triumphal arches, restorations of the traditional buildings, erection of temples to the divinised Emperors mark the urbanscape. As a side story, an account of the pearl sellers and of the physician district will be given.

Lecture Four – Late Antiquity to the Present Day
No less interesting is the history of the Forum from the end of the Roman Empire to its transformation into the archaeological park it is at present. From the transformation of Roman buildings into churches to the progressive abandonment through the "rediscovery" of the old monuments, the "Campo Vaccino" ("Cow Field"), as it was called in the early modern age, never lost its fascination and importance. 

Veronica is a PhD archaeologist who worked on excavations in Rome and abroad (Turkey) for over 20 years. Subject topics of her research range from funerary archaeology to domestic architecture, with a special interest in Late Antiquity, the Provinces of the Roman Empire, processes of assimilation and cultural interchanges, economy and production in the Antiquity. Enthusiastic traveller and explorer, she has always devoted herself not only to her academic career but also to dissemination activities as a lecturer, tour guide in Rome (for over 10 years), tour planner and leader for trips all around the Mediterrenean. History buff, in love for her city - Rome, the Eternal City! -, moved by curiousity and a genuine passion for stories behind History, she likes to convey her expertise while never forgetting how to be also a good companion for your exploration of the ancient world.

How does it work?
This is a four-part series held weekly and hosted on Zoom. Please check the schedule for the specific dates and times for each lecture. 

When will I receive the Zoom link?
Your link to enter the Zoom room will be the same for all sessions. It will be sent to the email address used to place your order 30 minutes prior to each lecture's start time.

Is there a reading list in advance?
Though the course is open to participants with no background on this topic, there are suggested readings for further investigation. These will be provided at the course's conclusion.

How long are the lectures?
Each lecture is 60 minutes long with time for Q&A.

How much is the course?
The course is $140 USD for four lectures.

Is a recording available?
Yes. All registered participants will be sent a recording link within 48 hours of each session's conclusion.

Are there additional seminars, courses, and in-person experiences being led on the topic of Roman History?
Yes!  Veronica Iacomi will be leading several virtual experiences in the coming weeks. Details are available here.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
50%
(2)
25%
(1)
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(0)
25%
(1)
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R
R.Y. (Albuquerque, US)
Excellence in all the details

This very detailed and well researched course explored the history of the forum through its many changes over time. I'd visited the forum several times but until this course could not make a lot of sense our of what I saw. This was an amazingly detailed and well presented course. Kudos to Veronica.

S
S. (Carmel, US)
Roman Forum Part I

Iacomi's research and presentation of the material were thorough and intriguing. I appreciated that she went back to the time of the land before human habitation up to the Cloaca Maxima. Fascinating and so informative. Look forward to the next three lectures.

M
M.S. (San Jose, US)
Very Interesting.

Great way to learn about the Forum. Love the fact that it is chronologically presented.

J
J.G. (Fleming Island, US)
Needs refinement

I lasted 45 minutes with her lecture and had to leave. Her presentation was not clear, confusing, and too fast paced. I really could not figure out what the point of her lecture was. She should have approached a general audience lecture from 30,000 feet instead of getting too deep in the weeds. I kept asking myself, where is she going with all this? Her lecture had no body to it and rambled all over the place. It was a waste of money. I'll never buy another one of her lectures again.

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
50%
(2)
25%
(1)
0%
(0)
25%
(1)
0%
(0)
R
R.Y. (Albuquerque, US)
Excellence in all the details

This very detailed and well researched course explored the history of the forum through its many changes over time. I'd visited the forum several times but until this course could not make a lot of sense our of what I saw. This was an amazingly detailed and well presented course. Kudos to Veronica.

S
S. (Carmel, US)
Roman Forum Part I

Iacomi's research and presentation of the material were thorough and intriguing. I appreciated that she went back to the time of the land before human habitation up to the Cloaca Maxima. Fascinating and so informative. Look forward to the next three lectures.

M
M.S. (San Jose, US)
Very Interesting.

Great way to learn about the Forum. Love the fact that it is chronologically presented.

J
J.G. (Fleming Island, US)
Needs refinement

I lasted 45 minutes with her lecture and had to leave. Her presentation was not clear, confusing, and too fast paced. I really could not figure out what the point of her lecture was. She should have approached a general audience lecture from 30,000 feet instead of getting too deep in the weeds. I kept asking myself, where is she going with all this? Her lecture had no body to it and rambled all over the place. It was a waste of money. I'll never buy another one of her lectures again.