Campus Martius

The Campus Martius was a large, publicly owned area in ancient Rome. Its name means "Field of Mars" in Latin. This space covered about 2 square kilometres.

During the Middle Ages, this area became very crowded. Today, a smaller part of the original Campus Martius is called Campo Marzio, and it is the IV rione of Rome. This area still has the same name, reminding us of its important history.

Antiquity

According to Rome's foundation myth, the twin brothers Romulus and Remus were placed in the Tiber River as babies but washed ashore and survived. Years later, they founded Rome, with Romulus becoming its first king. The open field outside the city, called the Campus Martius, belonged to Rome’s last Etruscan king, Tarquinius Superbus. After he was defeated, the field was dedicated to the god Mars. Roman men would gather there each spring before going to war, and citizens held important religious festivals.

Over time, the Campus Martius changed greatly. Important buildings were added, such as the first stone theater in Rome, built by Pompey. Leaders like Julius Caesar and his successor Octavian added more structures, including spaces for voting and peaceful gatherings. During the early Roman Empire, the area became an official part of the city and included famous landmarks like the Ara Pacis and the Pantheon. As Rome grew, so did the Campus Martius, turning from open field to a busy part of the city.

Geography

The Campus Martius was an open area north of the Capitoline Hill, outside the old city walls of ancient Rome. It covered about 600 acres and stretched more than two kilometers north and south and almost two kilometers east and west. The land was low and often flooded, sitting just a few meters above the nearby river. Ancient writers mentioned natural features like an oak grove and a marshy area in this space.

Significance

The Campus Martius means "Field of Mars" in Latin. Mars was an important god in ancient Rome, linked to soldiers and farming. The month of March is named after Mars.

The Campus Martius might have been named after an altar for Mars. We do not know exactly when this altar was built or destroyed.

Many important events happened in the Campus Martius. One was a horse race called the second Equirria on March 14. Another event was Anna Perenna, where people celebrated the end of the year. The Tubilustrium festival also took place there.

Architecture

The buildings in Campus Martius changed a lot over many years, from the 6th century BC to later times. In the early days of Rome, four temples were built, but we are not sure they even existed because there isn’t strong proof.

Later, after Alexander the Great, many more temples were built. These new temples were made of stone, which helped them last longer and look nicer than the older ones.

In the time of the late Republic and early Empire, even more temples were added. These were often built to show political power.

Finally, in the Roman Empire, architects started using new materials like concrete. This brought a fresh, new direction to how buildings looked and were designed.

Main article: Temple of Diana, Temple of Castor and Pollux, Temple of Apollo Sosianus, Temple of Juno Regina, Alexander the Great, Temple of Bellona, Temple of Juturna, Temple of Hercules, Temple of Vulcan, Temple of Fortuna Equestris, Julio-Claudian Dynasty, Temple of Jupiter Stator, Temple of Feronia, Temple of Neptunus, Temple of Isis and Serapis, Temple of Mars Ultor, Temple of Minerva Chalcidica

Monuments and historical architectural discrepancies

"Horologium Augusti"

Main article: Solarium Augusti

For many years, people thought an old tall stone in Rome, called an obelisk, was used like a big clock. This idea came from a man named Buchner.

But later, in the 1980s, others showed this was not right. They found that an ancient writer talked about something different. New discoveries also showed the stone was placed too high to be from the time of the ruler Augustus. It looked like someone much later, named Domitian, fixed it up but kept it in honor of Augustus.

The Ara Pacis

The Ara Pacis was a special altar built when Augustus was ruler. Work started in 13 BCE and it was finished in 9 BCE. Altars in those days were used for ceremonies to honor gods. This altar showed that Augustus wanted to show a time of peace after a long time of fighting. Pictures on the altar show important people and scenes meant to tell that Augustus and his family would last for a long time, and that the government supported him. It also showed that people had enough food.

Architectural significance

The way you walk up to the altar shows moving from a regular place to a special, sacred one. The altar had no roof or doors, and the pictures of gods looking down reminded people that they were in a very important place. When the leaders decided to build this altar for Augustus, they let the builders decide how it would look. The builders used special sizes and shapes that meant a lot.

Historical discrepancies

Before some new studies, people thought the altar looked the same when it was finished as it did when it was built. But new research shows that at first, it was just a simple base. Only later did they add steps, a table on top, and pictures on the walls. This shows that the altar changed and grew over time.

Augustus' rise to power through building on Campus Martius

Many important events in ancient Rome happened in the Campus Martius, especially those related to the military and politics. Soldiers trained there, and generals who had won battles showed off treasures from the places they had conquered. They built temples and public buildings to impress people and gain support in elections.

Augustus, who later became a key leader in Rome, used this area to strengthen his political influence. He built many important buildings there, especially ones used for political meetings and elections. The first of these was the Saepta Julia, designed to help manage crowds during elections. Voters would gather outside and then enter to cast their votes. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa finished this building and dedicated it to honor Augustus. Another important building was the Pantheon, also built by Agrippa. Inside, he placed statues of Augustus, Julius Caesar, and himself.

These buildings became centers for political life in Rome. When people gathered to hear speeches about important events, they did so in places tied to Augustus. This helped Augustus shape Rome's political scene. After years of conflict, Augustus worked to bring stability back to Rome. By restoring the Senate and building new political centers on the Campus Martius, he helped guide the city toward peace and order.

Religious buildings

The Campus Martius had many important places for worship. These were temples built to honor different gods loved by the Romans. One of the largest is the temple of Mars Ultor, dedicated to Mars, the god of War. Building this temple began in 30BC and took thirty years to finish. It was made from beautiful white marble.

Other important temples in this area include four temples at Largo di Torre Argentina. There are also the Temple of Apollo Sosianus and the temple of Bellona. Apollo’s temple is linked to his worship, while Bellona’s temple honors the goddess of war. Both were built a very long time ago in the second century BC.

Religious events

The Campus Martius was a place for important religious festivals. One was the October Horse festival on October 15th, starting in the 6th century B.C. This festival had horse chariot races to protect crops and soldiers.

Another event was the Secular Games, started in the Roman Republic and later held by Emperor Claudius. These games lasted many days and nights, marking the end of one age and the start of the next. People walked in a procession from the Temple of Apollo to other temples.

The Anna Perenna festival happened in March. People gathered to feast and drink, hoping for a healthy year.

The Middle Ages

After attacks damaged the water systems, people moved to the Campus Martius because it was close to the Tiber River. This area became the busiest part of Rome during the Middle Ages. The river helped people trade and get water, and many visitors brought more wealth to the area.

Important roads passed through the Campus Martius. The Via Cassia linked Rome to other places in Europe, while the Via Aurelia became less safe because of threats from raiders. Leaders like Pope Leo X worked to improve roads and water systems to help the growing population. Over time, the area became home to many different people from around the world.

Modern Rome

After the Renaissance, the Campus Martius area of Rome did not change much and the population went down. Things changed when Rome became the capital of the new Kingdom of Italy in 1870.

The area grew more crowded over time. To keep it safe from flooding, tall walls were built along the river. These walls helped protect the area.