Comitium

In Roman architecture, a building near the forum used for voting and other political matters.

The beginnings of the Comitium in the northwest corner of the Forum can be traced back to the earlies period of Roman history. As the location of the Vulcanal, the sanctuary for the fire god Vulcan, this area was an important cultic centre from the beginning of Rome’s urban development. Under the protection of Vulcan, the Council of Elders (Senate) and the citizenry (People’s Assembly) gathered here even during the monarchic period, each in their respective assembly place: the Curia for the Senate and the Comitium for the People’s Assembly. As the Roman Republic was being established in the early 5th century B.C., the Forum transformed into a square that had to meet the needs of the new the political system. Just like the Curia, the Comitium gained new meaning as the central space for political decision-making and communication. The area south of the Comitium was dominated by a speaker’s platform (the Rostra [plural]), where Roman politicians and famous speakers such as Cicero or Caesar addressed the people. At the north side the Curia was situated adjacent to and slightly higher than the Comitium.