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Forum Aemilius in Terracina: walking on top of ancient Rome in the living heart of the city
A unique experience awaits in the historic centre of Terracina: that of walking directly on top of history. The Forum Aemilius of Terracina is not a fenced archaeological site, but the city's main square, still pulsing with life today. Here, the original paving of a two-thousand-year-old Roman forum merges with the present, traversed by a perfectly preserved stretch of the Via Appia (Old Appian Way).
A signature in stone
The limestone slab paving was funded by magistrate Aulus Aemilius, between the end of the first century BC and beginning of the first century AD — and he made sure everyone knew it. Along the main axis of the square, if one looks carefully, the inscription in bronze letters bearing his name: "A. Aemilius A. F. Stravit", can still be made out. A detail that speaks to the civic pride of two thousand years ago.
Life around the forum
The square was not simply a large paved space. Around its perimeter stood the most important buildings of the city: the civil basilica, a temple later incorporated into the present-day Cathedral of San Cesareo, and the nearby Roman theatre. Another curiosity — noticeable when observing the northern edge — is the course of the Via Appia, which was separated from the forum by small colonnettes designed to protect the paving from passing carriages.
The Forum Aemilius is a part of Piazza del Municipio, and is therefore always open to the public. For information on opening hours and tickets for associated archaeological sites, such as the Roman Theatre, it is advisable to contact the Tourism Office of Terracina.
