When was Trajan's Forum built and inaugurated?
Construction of Trajan's Forum began between 105 and 107, and the Forum was inaugurated in 112 according to the Fasti Ostienses. Trajan's Column was erected and inaugurated the following year, in 113.
Questions about Trajan's Forum
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was the architect of Trajan's Forum?
Apollodorus of Damascus designed and oversaw the construction of Trajan's Forum. He had also accompanied Emperor Trajan on the Dacian campaign that provided the spoils used to fund the project.
How much earth was excavated to build Trajan's Forum?
Over 300,000 cubic meters of soil and rock were excavated to build Trajan's Forum. Workers removed a ridge connecting the Quirinal and Capitoline Hills and dumped the material outside the Porta Collina.
What did Constantius II say when he visited Trajan's Forum in 357?
Constantius II visited the Forum in 357 and declared it unique under the heavens and never again to be imitated by mortal men. He said he wished to imitate only Trajan's equestrian statue, prompting Prince Ormisda to quip that he should first build a stable worthy of it.
What libraries and archives were housed in Trajan's Forum?
Trajan's Forum contained two libraries, one for Latin documents and one for Greek documents, positioned on either side of Trajan's Column. They housed state archives including the acts of the Emperors and the edicts of the praetors.
What remains of Trajan's Forum today?
Today only a section of Trajan's Market and Trajan's Column remain from the original complex. Several columns from the Basilica Ulpia have been re-erected on site, though some were covered by the Via dei Fori Imperiali built in 1933 and are visible beneath the road's arches.