Roman Forum Audio Guide for Rome

Welcome to the Roman Forum! You are standing at the entrance of Via della Salara Vecchia, the very threshold of what was once the beating heart of the ancient world. Look around you and imagine this valley, nestled between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, transformed from a swampy marsh into a global center of power. This space served as the city’s marketplace, political stage, and religious center for over one thousand years. Thousands of years ago, the very ground you are walking on was reclaimed from a swamp using the Cloaca Maxima, one of the world's first major sewer systems. Today, you are stepping into a time machine. As you look down the ancient basalt stones of the Via Sacra, you are following the same path once taken by triumphing generals and everyday Roman citizens. Take a deep breath and prepare to uncover the secrets hidden within these magnificent ruins.