The Roman Forum is an archaeological area in
Mérida, Spain. It was the main public area of the
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
city of
Emerita Augusta, founded in 25 BC by Emperor
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
. The city had another forum, the
Provincial Forum, built in 50 AD. Together with the other archaeological sites of the city, it was inscribed in the
UNESCO World Heritage List
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 1993.
Mérida, or Emerita Augusta in Latin, was once the capital of the
Lusitania imperial province that included most of Portugal as well as the western central portion of Spain. It contains many common places found in a Roman city: buildings such as theatres, temples, forums, and arenas. Mérida’s ruins are mostly still intact, despite the passage of time of approximately 2,000 years. Mérida preserves more important ancient Roman monuments than any other city in Spain
Buildings
* Temple of Diana. Despite its name, wrongly assigned in its discovery, the building was dedicated to the
imperial cult
An imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor or a dynasty of emperors (or rulers of another title) are worshipped as demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense. The cult may ...
. Erected during
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
' reign with local granite, later it was partly re-used for the palace of the Count of Corbos.
* Temple of Mars
* Portico, built in the 1st century AD
* Basilica, located in front of the temple of Diana
* Baths
See also
*
National Museum of Roman Art
The National Museum of Roman Art (; MNAR) is an archaeology museum located in Mérida, Spain. Devoted to Roman art, it exhibits extensive material from the archaeological ensemble of Mérida (the Roman colony of ''Augusta Emerita''), one of the l ...
External links
Official Mérida webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Forum (Merida)
Merida
Forum, Mérida
Buildings and structures in Mérida, Spain
History of Extremadura
Buildings and structures completed in the 1st century BC
1st-century BC establishments in the Roman Republic
Tourist attractions in Extremadura