| A | B |
|---|
| forum | market place |
| templum | temple |
| taberna | shop |
| circus | racetrack |
| Circus Maximus | most famous Roman track for chariot racing between the Palatine and Aventine hills; upwards of 250,000 people could watch races in and around the circus |
| amphitheatrum | for gladiator fights |
| Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) | most famous Roman amphitheater used for gladiator fights venationes (animal fights), execution of criminals and perhaps mock sea battles |
| thermae | baths: Diocletian's baths were built in 306 CE and were the largest imperial baths. The baths of Caracalla were dedicated in 216 BCE and used continuously until the arrival of the Vandals, who cut off the water supply |
| balneae | smaller wooden baths |
| arx | citadel, on Capitoline Hill |
| theatrum | theater for comedies, etc. |
| basilica | merchant exchange and law court where patrons could also shop at the tabernae located on the lower level |
| curia | senate meeting house; a simple building furnished austerely; was burned in 52 BCE by a mob angry at the murder of Clodius on the Appian Way |
| rostra | speakers' platform in the Forum decorated with portrait busts and prows of enemy ships ("rostra" means "beak") |
| Pantheon | temple dedicated to all the gods; great dome is capped by an "oculus" allowing light to enter building |
| carcer | state prison; lower portion, the Tullianum, was the torture chamber; Vercingetorix, Jugurtha and St. Paul are among the famous leaders imprisoned there |
| Temple of Vesta | round temple that held eternal flame of Rome guarded by Vestal Virgins, who also guarded important documents there, such as wills and treaties |
| aquaductus | aqueduct |
| arcus | arch |
| Ara Pacis | Altar of Peace dedicated in 13 BCE to Augustus's Pax Romana and significant because it contains a frieze of leading Roman citizens, including Livia, Tiberius and other members of the royal household |
| Campus Martius | field used for athletic exercises and military training |
| Arch of Titus | oldest surviving arch in Rome; dedicated to Titus's victory over Jerusalem; contains sculptural reliefs showing Roman soldiers carrying spoils of war from the Great Temple |
| Tabularium | ancient hall of records where citizen registers were maintained; erected in 78 BCE by Catulus and is well preserved eve today |
| Cloaca Maxima | sewer channel leading to the Tiber; Etruscan kings drained the area where the Forum is now located, probably in the 6th century BCE |
| fons, fontis | fountains |
| Domus Aureau | Nero's Golden House; Colosseum was built on part of its land after Nero's death (the name "Colosseum" referred to the giant statue of Nero located on the site) |
| Palatine Hill | location of the founding of the city, where the wealthy lived |
| Aventine Hill | quiet residential area, home of plebeians |
| Esquiline Hill | the highest and largest hill |
| Capitoline Hill | seat of government, Temples to the Big Three (Jupiter, Juno, Minerva) |
| Quirinal Hill | named after ancient god, Quirinus, the name given to Romulus after his deification |
| Viminal Hill | residential area |
| Caelian Hill | residential area |
| Temple of Concord | in honor of the harmony of the social orders; housed impressive art collection |
| Via Sacra | The Sacred Way, the widest paved street through the heart of the city and road where generals whose armies had killed 5,000 enemies celebrated a triumph in a golden chariot |
| lapis niger | "black rock" with the oldest extant Latin inscription; said to be site of Romulus's tomb |
| regia | "king's house," location of the Pontifex Maximus and augurs, home of the sacred calendar |
| Miliarium Aureum | "golden column," had names of all major cities in the Empire and their distances from Rome |
| Temple of Saturn | ancient site of cult statue of Saturn, ritually bound in wool, and site of earliest wealth depository, evolving into State Treasury |
| Lacus Curtius | site where a great hole suddenly appeared, and could only be closed if a Roman sacrificed something precious: a Roman named Curtius leaped on horseback into the chasm and it closed around him |
| Temple of Castor and Pollux | shrine to the twin sons of Jupiter, godly warriors who were believed to have fought with the Roman Postumius and his army against Tarquinius at Lake Regillus in 496 BCE, only to suddenly disappear |
| Theater of Pompey | first permanent theater in Rome, c. 55 BCE; Caesar assassinated at the portico |
| Arch of Constantine | Build 315 CE to commemorate Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge over Maxentius |
| Arch of Septimius Severus | arch built in 203 CE celebrating the victories of Severus and his two sons, Geta and Caracalla over the Parthians. Caracalla later murdered Geta and had his name removed from the arch |
| Trajan's Column | A 100-foot marble column with a continuous spiraling sculptural frieze celebrating Trajan's victory over Dacia; source of a great deal of knowledge about Roman soldiers; statue of Trajan at the top was replaced with one of the Pope! |
| insulae | apartment buildings, several stories high, housing most of Rome's urban population |
| Temple of Mars Ultor (the "Avenger") | Dedicated by Augustus to avenge the assassination of his uncle and adopted parent, Julius Caesar; it held the Roman standards recovered from the Parthians who had killed Crassus and were now subjugated by Augustus |
| Hadrian's Wall | Built in Britain to separate Romanized area from the Picts, a wild and ungovernable tribe; established northern-most boundary of the Empire |
| Hadrian's Villa | Located in Tivoli outside Rome, a vast imperial villa holding baths, theater, pools, libraries and extensive guest quarters, over 30 buildings in all; Trajan's retreat from political intrigue |
| Theater of Marcellus | Completed by Augustus and named in honor of his dead nephew and designated heir who died suddenly at age 19. The apartments at the top are still occupied by an Italian duchess. |
| Pons Fabricius | Built in 62 BCE; connects Tiber Island to mainland; oldest Roman bridge still in use |
| Tomb of Caecilia Metella | cylindrical tomb on the Appian Way (no burals in the sacred city!) to house the sarcophagus of the daughter of Metellus; wife of Crassus |
