men of Rome; the remains of a
line of shops of the third century demolished during the excavations;
the pedestal of what is said by some to have been Domitian's and by
others Constantine's gigantic equestrian statue; and farther down,
rude heaps of masonry, belonging to the substructures of the Rostra
and Temple of Julius Caesar. Part of the curved wall of the Rostra may
still be seen built of large blocks of travertine; and in front is a
fixed platform, where a large number of people could stand and listen
to the speaker. This Rostra is specially interesting because it was
constructed in the year of Caesar's death, and was intended to mark the
design of the great triumvir to destroy the memory of the old
oligarchy by separating the rostra or "hustings" from their former
connection with the senate and comitia, and make them entirely popular
institutions. The front of it was afterwards adorned by Augustus with
the beaks of ships taken at Actium. The small Herooen or Temple of
Caesar behind the Rostra was erected on the spot where the body of
Caesar was burned before the house which he had so long inhabited, and
in a part of the Forum especially associated with his greatest
political triumphs. It superseded an altar and lofty column of
Numidian marble, at which the people had previously offered sacrifices
to the memory of their idol, the first mortal in Rome raised to the
rank of the gods; an honour justified, they imagined, not only by his
great deeds, but also by his alleged descent from Venus Anadyomene.

Running down the middle of the Forum is a rough, ancient causeway,
with its blocks of lava still in their original position, but so
disjointed that it is no easy task walking over them. On the other
side is the raised platform of the Basilica Julia of Augustus,
extending from north to south, the whole length of the Forum, with
steps leading up to it from the paved street. This stupendous law
court, the grandest in Rome where Trajan sat to administer justice,
and from whose roof Caligula day after day lavishly threw down money
to the people, has, by its own identity being established beyond
dispute, more than any other discovery helped to determine the
topography of the Roman Forum. It was begun by Julius Caesar on the
site of the older Basilica Sempronia, which had previously partially
replaced the _Veteres Tabernae_ or shops of early times required for
the trades carried on in a market-place, and also the schools fo