The Roman Forum is an archaeological area in Mérida, Spain. It was the main public area of the Roman city of Emerita Augusta, founded in 25 BC by Emperor

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

. 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 World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...

in 1993. Mérida, or Emerita Augusta in Latin, was once the capital of the

Lusitania Lusitania (; ) was an ancient Iberian Roman province encompassing most of modern-day Portugal (south of the Douro River) and a large portion of western Spain (the present Extremadura and Province of Salamanca). Romans named the region after th ...

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 (religious practice), Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejor ...

. Erected during

' reign with local granite, later it was partly re-used for the palace of the Count of Corbos. * Temple of Mars. Dedicated to the imperial cult * Portico, located near the Temple of Diana, was built in the 1st century. It consists of a porticoed building with a wall housing several niches intended for statues found at this site. The portico was restored in the 20th century, and the discovered remains are on display at the National Museum of Roman Art * Basilica, located in front of the temple of Diana * Baths

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

Buildings

See also

External links