Even in the day of the Republic, the population explosion was a problem. Julius Caesar saw the overcrowding and began to expand, starting where were known as the Imperial Forums in the days of the empire. After the collapse of Rome and during the Dark Ages, the Forums were lost to history, buried beneath layers of debris, until Mussolini set out to restore the grandeur of Rome by reminding his compatriots of their glorious past.

Take the Metro to the Colosseo stop for the:
1. Coliseum, a good starting place, as you get your bearings with the traffic at the piazza del collosseo. The Colosseum is the greatest monument of ancient Rome and visitors are impressed with its size and majesty. Either visit it now or return later.

With your back to the coliseum, begin your walk up:

2. via dei Fori Imperiali, keeping to the right side of the street. It was Mussolini who ordered Roman workers to cut through the years of debris and junky buildings to carve out this boulevard, linking the Coliseum to piazza Venezia. Excavations began at once and much was revealed. Today the boulevard makes for one of the most fascinating walks in Rome. All the Imperial Forums can be seen from the street level.

The ruins across the street are the remains of the colonnade that once surrounded the Temple of Venus and Roma. Next to it, you will see the back wall of the Basilica of Constantine. Shortly you will come to a large outdoor restaurant where via Cavour joins the boulevard you are on. Just beyond the small park across via Cavour are the remains of the:

3. Forum of Nerva, built by the emperor whose two-year reign (A.D. 96-98) followed that of the paranoid Domitian. The Forum of Nerva is best observed from the railing that skirts it on via dei Fori Imperiali. You will be stuck by just how much the ground level has risen in nineteen centuries. The only really recognizable remnant is a wall of the Temple of Minerva with two fine Corinthian columns. The forum was once flanked by that of Vespasian, which is now, however, completely gone. It is possible to enter the Forum of Nerva from the other side but you can see it just as well from the railing.

The next forum you approach is the:

4. Forum of Augustus, built before the birth of Christ to commemorate the emperor's victory over the assassins Cassius and Brutus in the Battle of Philippi (42 B.C.) Fittingly, the temple that once dominated this forum, and whose remains can still be seen, was that of Mars Ultor, or Mars the Avenger. In the temple once stood a mammoth statue of Augustus, which has unfortunately completely vanished. Like the Forum of Nerva, you can enter the Forum of Augustus from the other side (cut across the wee footbridge).

Continuing along the railing, next you will see the vast semicircle of:

5. Trajan's Market, via Quattro Novembre 95 (Tel 67-10-20-70) whose teeming arcades stocked with merchandise from the far corners of the Roman world long ago collapsed, leaving only a few ubiquitous cats to watch after things. The shops once covered a multitude of levels, and you can still wander around many of them. In front of the perfectly proportioned semicircular façade, designed by Apollodorus of Damascus at the beginning of the 2nd century, are the remains of a great library, and fragments of delicately-colored marble floors still shine in the sunlight between stretches of rubble and tall grass. While the view from the railing is of interest, Trajan's Market is worth the descent below street level. To get there, follow the service road you are on until you reach the monumental Trajan's Column on your left, where you turn right and go up the steep flight of stairs that leads to via Nationale. At the top of the stairs, aobut half a block farther on the right, you will see the entrance to the market. From April to September, it is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and also in the afternoon from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.; Sunday hours are 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. From October to March, it operates Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:00 to 1:00 p.m. There is an admission fee.

Before you head down the labyrinthine passageways, you might like to climb the:

6. Tower of the Milizie, a 12th century structure that was part of the medieval headquarters of the Knights of Rhodes. The view from the top (if it is open) is well worth the climb. From the tower, you can wander where you will through the ruins of the market, and admire the sophistication of the layout and the sad beauty of bits of decoration that still remain. When you have examined the brick and travertine corridors, head out in front of the semicircle to the site of the former library; from here, scan the retaining wall that supports the modern road and look for the entrance to the tunnel that leads to the:

7. Forum of Trajan (Foro Triano), entered on via Quattro Novembre near the steps of via Magnanapoli. Once through the tunnel, you will emerge in the newest and most beautiful of the Imperial Forums, designed by the same man who laid out the adjoining market. There are many statue fragments and pedestals that bear still-legible inscriptions, but more interesting is the great Basilica Ulpia, whose gray marble columns rise roofless into the sky. You would not know it to judge what remains, but the Forum Trajan was once regarded as one of the architectural wonders of the world. Constructed between 107 and 113, it was designed by the Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus.

Beyond the Basilica Ulpia is:

8. Trajan's Column, already mentioned, which is in magnificent condition, with bas-relief sculpture depicting Trajan's victorious campaign. (Although from your vantage point, you will only be able to see the earliest stages.) The emperor's ashes were kept in a golden urn at the base of the column. If you are fortunate, someone on duty at the stairs next to the column will let you out there. Otherwise, you will have to walk back the way you came.

The next stop is:

9. Forum of Julius Caesar, the first of the Imperial Forums. It lies on the opposite side of via dei Fori Imperial, the last set of sunken ruins before the Victor Emmanuel Monument. While it is possible to go right down into the ruins, you can see everything just as well from the railing. This was the site of the Roman stock exchange, as well as the Temple of Venus, a few of whose restored columns stand cinematically in the middle of the exactions.

From here, retrace your last steps until you are in front of the white Brescian marble monument around the corner on piazza Benezia, where the
10. Vittorio Emanuele Monument dominates the piazza. The most flamboyant landmark in Italy, it was constructed in the late 1800s to honor the first king of Italy. It has been compared to everything from a frosty birthday cake to a Victorian typewriter. An eternal flame burns at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The interior of the monument has been closed to the public for many years.

Keep close to the monument and walk to your left, in the opposite direction from via dei Fori Imperiali. You might like to pause at the fountain that flanks one of the monument's great white walls and splash some icy water on your face. There is another fountain just like this one on the other side of the monument and they are both favorite spots for tired visitors. Stay on the same side of the street and just keep walking around the monument.