Caesar's construction of the earliest Imperial Forum, which would serve as the model for all the successive complexes, was inspired by both urbanism and propaganda. Built from 54 B.C. onwards, after the acquisition of a series of buildings, it was intended to take pressure of the Roman Forum. The monument was completed by Augustus after the death of the dictator. It comprises a rectangular piazza flanked by double colonnades behind which opened a series of tabernae, shops or offices. The north side of the piazza was occupied by the large temple dedicated to Venus Genetrix, the mythical progrenitrice of the gens Iulia from which Caesar was descended. This is a monument of clear ideological intent, and was the subject of two important restorations, by Trajan and by Diocletian. Without changing the plan of the building, these restorations modified substantially its aspect. On the short southern side recent excavations have brought to light the fourth portico, as wide as the side ones but single rather than double. Another portico opened onto the Argiletum, the road that linked the Roman Forum to the Subura. The excavations have also given important new information about the protohistoric period in the area, as well as its late Republican plan and the Medieval re-use of the site for habitation from the tenth century onwards. (Riccardo Santangeli Valenzani)

A new excavation campaign in the _Forum_ of Caesar involved two distinct sectors (A and B) in the south-eastern area of the square. In sector B, at circa 1 m below the _forum’s_ pavement, the eastern side of a square building came to light. Built in blocks of capellaccio, the construction technique and comparison with analogous structures date it to between the 6th-5th century B.C. A circular well was associated with the structure. The building was destroyed by a great fire, evidence of which was seen along the entire stretch of the perimeter that was uncovered, and which also appeared in other sectors of the excavation. On the basis of the stratigraphic sequence and the pottery recovered, generically datable to between the late 5th and the high 4th century B.C., it cannot be excluded that these are the remains of the Gallic fire of 390 B.C. To date it has been difficult to find evidence in the city of this traumatic event. This episode was followed by a substantial phase of reclamation in the area, which was filled in order to create a new level. New structures were built here in _opus quadratum_ datable to sometime after the mid 4th century B.C. In sector E the excavation defined the layout of the first _Forum_ of _Caesar_, which was circa 20 m smaller (c. 140 x 75 m) with respect to the final version (c. 160 x 75 m) inaugurated by _Augustus_ in 29 B.C. During the last excavation campaign three rectilinear foundations were uncovered. They ran parallel to each other on a north-east/south-west alignment and belonged to the short eastern side of this first _forum_. Furthermore, it was possible to check the width of the intercolumniation (2.80 m) of the _forum’s_ internal colonnade and it was discovered that the short side of the _forum_ must have had a double portico screened to the rear by an order of inward facing columns or pilasters. This first _forum_ was probably the one which _Julius Caesar_ inaugurated in 46 B.C. The discovery of a conduit dating to the early Augustan period, created by cutting the preceding foundations of the _forum’s_ first short side, provided proof that during this period the square was extended in the direction of the _Argiletum_.