Exploring the Forma Urbis Romae: the most ancient map of the city of Rome

At the heart of Roman history lies a hidden treasure: the Forma Urbis Romae. This masterpiece of ancient cartography represents one of the greatest challenges and artistic achievements in the realm of urban mapping. Through its intricate network of lines and symbols, the Forma Urbis offers a timeless window into the topography and daily life of ancient Rome. The Forma Urbis Severiana engraved on marble, is the protagonist of the Celium Archaeological Park, which has been inaugurated on January, 11.

Origins and Significance:

The Forma Urbis Romae, meaning “The Shape of the City of Rome,” is a monumental map of ancient Rome dating back to the late 1st century AD and to Septimius Severus’s reign. The monumental map was located in the Foro della Pace and it was probably realized at the time of the reconstruction of some parts of the Tempio della Pace, which was damaged by a fire in 192 a.C.

This extraordinary cartographic document, originally engraved on marble slabs, spanned an imposing surface of about 18 meters in width by 13 meters in height. The detailed map of the city of Rome included its streets, buildings, temples, gardens, and other urban elements, depicted with astonishing precision.

Method of Creation

The creation of the Forma Urbis represented a titanic endeavor that required unprecedented accuracy and mastery. The craftsmen behind this map employed sophisticated techniques to meticulously record the dimensions and arrangement of urban elements.

It is hypothesized that the cartographers began by tracing the main lines of the city, using the Roman road system as a reference. Subsequently, with patience and attention to detail, they added the buildings and other landmarks, employing conventional symbols to identify them.

Historical and Archaeological Importance

The Forma Urbis Romae is an invaluable source for the study of ancient Rome. Thanks to its precision and wealth of details, historians are able to reconstruct with remarkable accuracy the topography of the city, as well as its social and economic structure.

Furthermore, the map has enabled archaeologists to identify and locate numerous sites and monuments now lost or partially preserved. Through its analysis, it has been possible to shed new light on lesser-known aspects of Roman daily life and the evolution of the city’s urban planning over the centuries.

Legacy and Conservation

Despite its historical and archaeological importance, the Forma Urbis Romae has not survived intact to the present day. Much of the original map has been lost over the centuries, and what remains are fragments scattered in various collections and museums.

However, thanks to the efforts of researchers and scholars, a campaign of digitization and reconstruction of the surviving fragments has been initiated, aimed at preserving and disseminating this extraordinary cultural heritage for future generations. The new museum has given back this extraordinary masterpiece to the public, providing an opportunity to take a journey into Ancient Rome.