Forum Holitorium
Archaeological site in Rome, Italy
The Forum Holitorium or Olitorium (Latin for the "Market of the Vegetable Sellers"; Italian: Foro Olitorio) is an archaeological area of Rome, Italy, on the slopes of the Capitoline Hill. It was located outside the Carmental Gate in the Campus Martius, crowded between the cattle market (Forum Boarium) and buildings located in the Circus Flaminius.
In ancient times, it was the fruit and vegetable market, while the area of the adjacent Forum Boarium served as a meat market. At its northern end were the temples of Bellona, goddess of war, and Apollo Medicus. It also included a sacred area with three small temples dedicated to Janus, Spes, and Juno Sospita.
The sacred area
The construction of the sacred area of the forum dates back to the Republican age, more precisely to the period between the first and the Second Punic War. Subsequently, at the time of Caesar (1st century BC), it underwent renovations which involved the demolition of a fourth temple: it was built by Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul in 191 BC) next to the Temple of Janus and was demolished during the construction of the Theatre of Marcellus (then completed by Augustus). The temple was dedicated to the worship of Diana.
The staircases of the three temples were not aligned, which confirms the absence of uniform town-planning criteria during the Republican age. Their construction limited the area of the market, which previously might have extended up to the Tiber.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Forum Holitorium” is archaeological site in Rome, Italy. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Forum, Holitorium and Archaeological, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “archaeological site in Rome, Italy” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 27, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1241176. VIAF identifies the subject as 316392887. The Library of Congress control number is sh2016000307. Authority coordinates are 41.891, 12.480. 1 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Forum Holitorium”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Forum Holitorium primary sources, Forum Holitorium archive and Forum research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Forum Holitorium”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Forum Holitorium” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.