The Roman forum of Termes (Hispania Citerior). Historical, archaeological and topographic summary. Ist century B.C. - 2nd century A.D.

Abstract

The urban development of the central public area of the Roman city of Termes (Hispania Citerior) between the 1^st century B.C and the 2^nd century A.D. is linked to the progressive institutional transformation of the community and to its social and economic development. After the Bellum Sertorianum, the urban space previously occupied by the Celtiberian oppidum was used as a shrine related to one of the founding rites of the city, and which would become the origin of the forum. This area was refurbished during the Augustan era (31 B.C. – 14 A.D.), when a temple was built that overlooked a communal area, although we are not aware of its general layout due to the progressive overlapping of structures in the zone. During the reign of Julius Claudius (14-37 A.D.), a new public area was created, next to the earlier one, which was made up by an arched complex with a temple. This complex was part of a main public area, which was either a Julius Claudius Forum or just an urban sanctuary. Finally, during the Flavian era, from 75 A.D, the site of the Augustan forum would be transformed with the construction of a large scenographic and monumental agora, the Flavian Forum, a complex that would be both a forum and an Augusteum, a place for performances and a shrine for dynastic worship.