Question

What were the transformations of the Republican Forum under Julius Caesar and Augustus in Rome?

1) The Republican Forum remained unchanged under both Julius Caesar and Augustus.
2) The Republican Forum was expanded and renovated under Julius Caesar, but remained largely the same under Augustus.
3) The Republican Forum underwent significant changes under both Julius Caesar and Augustus.
4) The Republican Forum was destroyed and rebuilt under both Julius Caesar and Augustus.

Answer 1

The Republican Forum saw notable changes during the reigns of Julius Caesar and Augustus, with both engaging in extensive building and renovation programs that reflected the transition of Rome from a republic to an empire.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Republican Forum underwent significant transformations under both Julius Caesar and Augustus. During Julius Caesar's time as aedile, he decorated and renovated significant areas of the city including the Forum, and hosted grand public entertainments.

This set the stage for Augustus, who not only continued to claim that he was restoring the Republic, but significantly altered the city's infrastructure and political mechanisms.

Augustus embarked on a vast building program, establishing a standing army, the Praetorian Guard, and improved Rome efficiently with a firefighting service and a new network of roads.

The Forum and the city at large mirrored Rome's transformation from a republic to an empire under Augustus' rule, with grand new buildings made from marble exemplifying this era of change.