Forum, forum, column, column and a modern king

The Roman Forum soon became too small for some rulers in Rome and they expanded the centre of Rome with new buildings. Emperor Augustus had a mighty temple built, but the forecourt of this is now covered by the Via dei Fori Imperiali. Not much of the temple can be seen either, but the statue of the emperor greets in front of his forum. The statue of Trajan also greets in front of the adjacent Trajan Forum, of which not much is left. Only the Trajan Markets can be clearly seen and the Trajan Column rises into the sky with its picture story. The reliefs show scenes from the successful wars against the Dacians in the years 101 and 102 and 105 and 106. 2,500 people are said to be depicted. But I didn't count them. The Trajan Column served as a model for the Marcus Aurelius Column, which was built a few decades later. The reliefs in honour of this emperor show the campaigns against the Marcomanni and Quadi in 172 and 173 and the emperor's victories over the Sarmatians in 174 and 175. We will visit this column later. But first we need to get our bearings, because the adjacent Piazza Venezia is a huge construction site and we first have to find our way to Hadrian's Auditorium. Originally financed by Emperor Hadrian around the year 123, Hadrian's Auditorium was used as a school for culture and the liberal arts. The ruins are now surrounded by construction fences and construction sites. I actually didn't want to visit the adjacent imposing national monument to Victor Emmanuel II, but my wife showed interest in the stately man on the horse, so we escaped from the construction site maze and climbed the marble steps to the king and founder of a united, modern Italy. In 1861, the successful king united Italy as a nation state and implemented modern reforms with the government. His professionalism in his political leadership is remarkable. Despite his personal dislike of the head of government Cavour, he stuck with this politician because he considered him to be a capable minister and prime minister. Chapeau!