The Arch of Titus is a triumphal arch located on the Via Sacra near the Roman Forum in Rome¹.

The arch was erected in 81 AD by Emperor Domitian to commemorate the victories of his brother, Emperor Titus, especially the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD¹.

The arch is a classic example of Roman triumphal architecture, featuring a single arched passageway and detailed reliefs².

The interior of the arch contains reliefs depicting Roman soldiers carrying spoils from the Temple of Jerusalem, including the Menorah. The inscription on the arch honors Titus and his deification².

The Arch of Titus symbolizes Roman power and victory, and it has served as a model for many triumphal arches erected since the 16th century, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris².

1. www.britannica.com, en.wikipedia.org

The Via Sacra was the route taken by victorious generals during their triumphal processions, leading from the Colosseum through the Forum to the Capitoline Hill¹.

It starts at the Arch of Titus and passes by many significant ancient Roman landmarks, including the Temple of Vesta, the House of the Vestal Virgins, and the Basilica of Maxentius¹.

The Via Sacra was not only a ceremonial route but also a bustling thoroughfare, lined with shops, temples, and public buildings².

1. en.wikipedia.org, 2. visit-colosseum-rome.com

Built by Emperor Hadrian between 121 and 141 AD, the temple was dedicated to the goddesses Venus Felix (Venus the Bringer of Good Fortune) and Roma Aeterna (Eternal Rome).

The temple featured two main chambers (cellae) back-to-back, each housing a statue of the goddesses. The western chamber faced the Roman Forum, while the eastern chamber faced the Colosseum.

The temple was built on the site of Nero's Domus Transitoria and Domus Aurea. It was inaugurated in 135 AD and later restored by Emperor Maxentius after a fire in 307 AD¹.

Much of the temple's marble has been repurposed over the centuries, but the remains still offer a glimpse into its grandeur. The site is part of the Forum-Palatine archaeological park and is accessible to the public.

1en.wikipedia.org

The Basilica of Maxentius, also known as the Basilica Nova, is the largest ancient building in the Roman Forum¹.

Construction began under Emperor Maxentius in 308 AD and was completed by Constantine I in 312 AD after his victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge¹.

The basilica featured a grand central nave with three groin vaults, supported by massive concrete piers. It was an engineering marvel of its time, showcasing the innovative use of concrete².

Like other Roman basilicas, it served multiple purposes, including as a court-house, council chamber, and meeting hall³.

1. en.wikipedia.org2. smarthistory.org, 3. www.historyhit.com

The basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano is a titular church in Rome, Italy. The lower portion of the building is accessible through the Roman Forum and incorporates original Roman buildings, but the entrance to the upper level is outside the Forum. The circular building located at the entrance of the Forum, which now houses a small archeological exhibit, was built in the early 4th century as a Roman temple. It is thought to have been dedicated to Valerius Romulus, deified son of the emperor Maxentius. The main building was perhaps the library of an imperial forum

The Temple is traditionally held to have been dedicated by Emperor Maxentius to his son and co-consul Valerius Romulus, who died in 309 and was given divine honours. The temple building was probably part of a rebuilding program of "incredible intensity" undertaken by Maxentius in the area, following a disastrous fire in 306; the project was only part-complete at his death. The temple's identification with Valerius Romulus is tentative, based on the spot-find of a coin dated to 307 AD showing the distinctive shape of the building, and a nearby dedication to Valerius Romulus as a divinised mortal.[1] The temple has also been speculated as a rebuilding of the original temple of "Jupiter Stator", or one dedicated to Penates, restored by Maxentius.

en.wikipedia.org

The temple was constructed by the Emperor Antoninus Pius, beginning in 141 AD. It was initially dedicated to his deceased and deified wife, Faustina the Elder. Because of this, Faustina was the first Roman empress with a permanent presence in the Forum Romanum. When Antoninus Pius was deified after his death in 161 AD, the temple was re-dedicated to both Antoninus and Faustina by his successor, Marcus Aurelius.

The building stands on a high platform of large grey peperino tufa blocks. The later of two dedicatory inscriptions says, "Divo Antonino et Divae Faustinae Ex S.C." meaning, “For the divine Antoninus and for the divine Faustina, by decree of the Senate.”

The temple was converted into a Roman Catholic church, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda, perhaps as early as the seventh century, but it is only attested from the eleventh century work Mirabilia Urbis Romae. "Miranda" may derive from the name of a benefactress. At that time, it was thought that this was the location of the sentencing of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr to death by the Prefect of Rome, hence its dedication.

en.wikipedia.org