Provincial Forum of Tarraco

The provincial forum of Tarraco is a Roman archaeological site in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, encompassing an area of 18 ha [1]. Together with other Roman remains in the city it makes the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco, which was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000 [1]. It was built starting from 73 AD, by order of Emperor Vespasian, and remained in use until the 5th century [1]. The area consisted of a square dedicated to worship and a larger one for performances, in addition to the lower enclosure where the circus was located [1]. The worship enclosure was the seat of the concilium and was located in the highest part of the city, which today is occupied by the Cathedral, the Cathedral Square, and other buildings [1]. This was an impressive square measuring 153 meters by 136 meters, surrounded by a perimeter wall that was 9 meters high [1]. This wall supported the roof of a portico with columns, approximately 11 meters wide, which encircled the entire square [1].