Basilica Sempronia, Civil basilica in Roman Forum, Italy
The Basilica Sempronia was an elongated structure with solid outer walls and interior columns that rose above the surrounding streets on a raised platform. The interior featured multiple supporting columns that created a large open hall suitable for gatherings and commerce.
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus built the structure in 169 BC on land where Scipio Africanus's house and adjoining shops had previously stood. Centuries later, Julius Caesar ordered its complete demolition in 54 BC to clear the site for his new Basilica Julia.
The building served as a gathering place where Romans conducted business and legal affairs, showing how central such structures were to daily civic life. The remaining foundations show how the space was organized for these public activities.
Visitors can examine the outdoor archaeological remains and study the foundation layout made of tufa and travertine blocks. The site is directly accessible within the Forum grounds, where you can explore the remnants alongside other ancient structures.
The building disappeared not through decay or neglect, but by deliberate destruction to make way for urban development, showing how Romans reshaped their city intentionally. This demolition was part of a broader transformation of the Forum under Caesar's vision.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
