The Temple of Peace (Templum Pacis), also referred to as the Forum of Vespasian, was an architectural and cultural landmark in ancient Rome, constructed between 71 and 75 CE during the reign of Emperor Vespasian. It was built to commemorate the Flavian victory in the Jewish War and the subsequent capture of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Unlike the traditional Roman fora, the Temple of Peace served less as a civic or commercial hub and more as a monumental space for cultural and religious display, symbolizing the restoration of peace (Pax) to the Roman Empire.

While it is sometimes referred to as the Forum of Vespasian, it diverges significantly from the architectural and functional design of the Roman imperial fora. Instead, the complex was conceived as a monumental precinct that combined elements of a temple, a cultural repository, and a public garden.

The complex was characterized by its large open courtyard surrounded by porticoes, gardens, and water features. At its center stood the temple itself, which housed sacred treasures from Jerusalem, including the famed menorah, alongside other spoils of war. The surrounding precinct was adorned with statues, artworks, and libraries, making it a repository of cultural wealth and an embodiment of imperial propaganda.

The central structure, commonly identified as a temple, likely housed the cult statue of Peace (Pax) and the sacred treasures brought from Jerusalem. Surrounding this were extensive open spaces framed by porticoes, gardens, and water features, creating a serene and symbolic environment that emphasized the Flavian dynasty's role in restoring order and prosperity to the empire.

Although only scant remains of the Temple of Peace survive today, historical sources such as Pliny the Elder and Cassius Dio provide detailed accounts of its grandeur. The site underwent significant transformations over the centuries, including its incorporation into later urban and architectural developments. It remains an important subject of study for understanding Roman imperial ideology and urban planning during the Flavian period.

circa 71 CE

Flavian Period (69–96 CE)
The Temple of Peace was a project initiated by Emperor Vespasian following his successful campaign during the Jewish–Roman wars. The funds for its construction came from the spoils of Jerusalem, marking its creation as not only an architectural achievement but a declaration of Flavian military dominance and imperial stability. It housed artifacts such as the Table of Shewbread and the seven-branched menorah from the Jerusalem Temple, which were taken as spoils during the siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Despite its designation as a temple, it did not serve a traditional religious function but instead acted as a space for cultural and civic expression. The structure housed treasures looted during Vespasian's campaign in Judea, alongside works of art originally seized by Nero for his Domus Aurea. These included sculptures by celebrated Greek artists such as Polykleitos, Phidias, and Myron, underlining Rome's appropriation of Greek cultural symbols to bolster its prestige. The completion of the temple is attributed by the poet Statius to Domitian, Vespasian’s successor, though this claim is debated among modern scholars.

Severan Period (193–235 CE)
Following a fire in 192 CE that devastated the Temple of Peace, Emperor Septimius Severus undertook a significant restoration of the structure around 203 CE. This period saw further enhancement of the temple's interior spaces, which reflected Severus's emphasis on revitalizing Rome’s monumental landscape. Surviving inscriptions and bases from statues such as Leochares’ Ganymede and Polykleitos’ Pythocles provide crucial insights into the Severan interventions. These restorations exemplify the continuous effort by emperors to align themselves with Rome’s legacy of power and culture, using the Temple of Peace as a symbol of their ability to maintain and renew the grandeur of the empire.

Constantinian Period (4th Century CE)
By the time of Emperor Constantine and his successors, the Temple of Peace may still have been in use, although its prominence had waned. The rise of Christianity and subsequent imperial policies against pagan worship led to the closure of many non-Christian sanctuaries. Edicts prohibiting traditional rituals signified the temple’s functional and symbolic decline as the empire transitioned toward a Christian identity. The Temple of Peace thus became a relic of Rome's pagan past, reflecting the broader transformations in religious and cultural life during the late empire.

Late Antiquity and Decline
The Temple of Peace suffered irreparable damage during the sack of Rome in 410 CE by the Visigoths under Alaric I. The complex was looted, and treasures of significant historical and religious value, such as the emerald-encrusted artifacts of Solomon, were carried off. These treasures, central to the Flavian-era spoils, highlight the temple’s role as a repository of imperial wealth and propaganda. Despite its earlier restorations, the temple was never rebuilt following this event, marking its final decline. The historian Procopius notes the plundering of the site, emphasizing the symbolic dismantling of Roman authority during this tumultuous period.

Modern Rediscovery
For centuries, the Temple of Peace was misidentified as the Basilica of Maxentius and the Maxentine Basilica was identified as the Temple of Peace, reflecting the challenges faced by early antiquarians in interpreting Rome’s archaeological landscape. This error persisted until the 19th century CE when the Italian archaeologist Antonio Nibby correctly identified the structure based on a careful analysis of the ruins and historical records. Nibby’s work exemplifies the broader 19th-century CE efforts to systematically study and preserve Rome’s architectural heritage, positioning the Temple of Peace as a focal point for understanding the Flavian dynasty's contributions to Rome’s urban development. Today, its remains continue to evoke scholarly debate, particularly concerning its architectural form, function, and historical significance.

circa 71 CE

Although very little remains of the Temple of Peace in Rome today, much about its structure and layout are known due its depiction on the later Severan period map of ancient Rome, Forma Urbis Romae, a large, detailed marble map of Rome and its buildings that was originally hung on a wall inside the temple in the early 3rd century CE. The temple was made up of an apse that opened into a large portico. Columns separated the temple from the central unpaved, grassy area. This was different from the majority of other imperial forums in Rome, which were typically paved. This area probably featured gardens, pools, statues, and other treasures acquired during the conquest of Jerusalem.

Today few architectural remains are visible standing which include, only seven columns from the west portico, part of the sanctuary or temple floor, part of the west wall, near the north-west corner, some arcaded walls and stone fragments. The remains of the Vespasian Forum lie along (west of) the Via Fori Imperiali, north-east of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian.