Curia Hostilia, Senate building in Roman Forum, Italy
The Curia Hostilia was a rectangular assembly building in the Roman Forum where senators sat on wooden benches arranged along the long walls. The hall followed the cardinal directions and held space for hundreds of members during deliberations.
The third Roman king commissioned the construction around 650 BC, creating the first permanent home for the Senate. The building remained the main assembly location for nearly six centuries until it burned down during riots in the mid-first century BC.
The name honors Tullus Hostilius, the third king of Rome, who commissioned the building as a meeting place for the Senate. A large painting hung on the outer wall showing a Roman victory over Carthaginian forces, catching the eye of anyone passing through the Forum.
The remains lie within the archaeological area of the Forum and can be viewed while walking through the ancient ruins. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear since the ground is uneven and involves plenty of walking over stone pavement.
Before the Senate building was erected, a temple stood on the same spot where warring tribes made peace during the reign of the first Roman king. This sacred place was later transformed into the political center of the Roman Republic.
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