Regia, Archaeological site in Roman Forum, Italy
The Regia is an archaeological site in the Roman Forum with foundations dating to Republican and Imperial times, positioned along the Via Sacra. The ruins show an irregularly shaped enclosed courtyard paved in tuff stone with traces of a wooden portico structure.
The building arose as the residence of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, in the 8th or 7th century BC. It later became the office of the chief priest and was rebuilt several times after fires.
The name means "royal residence" and recalls the time of Roman kings, even though the building later served religious purposes. Visitors today see the foundations of two rooms, one dedicated to the god of war and the other to the goddess of harvest.
The remains sit directly along the main path through the Forum and are easily visible from the walkway. Visitors can view the foundations and stone paving from several angles without needing to enter roped-off areas.
The western chamber held sacred lances that reportedly shook during the night before Julius Caesar's murder on March 14, 44 BC. Ancient sources report that this shaking was interpreted as a sign of coming disaster.
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