The Roman ForumThe Forum Romanum, the Roman name for what we commonly call the Roman Forum, was the center of power of the Roman Empire. The Forum was born at the intersection of two important roads. One ran parallel to the Tiber River, the other perpendicular. From the beginning the Forum had to satisfy two fundamental needs: the need for people to meet and the need to exchange goods. The many separate communities of the Italian peninsula were first united by the Etruscans in the 7th century BC. Traditionally, these Etruscans always used a central square for business. Tarquinius Priscus, the first Etruscan king, reclaimed the marshy valleys in the area which were used as cemeteries, and began to pave them. They would later become a center of social life. In the early stages of its life, the Forum was primarily intended for business. There you could find a multitude of shops called tabernae. The Forum also had religious and political functions. The Comitium (paved area in front) was already in its initial phase ...