The Forum of Aquileia was a square, the beating heart of the city's political, administrative, and social life. Its earliest phase dates back to the 2nd century BC.
In the first half of the 1st century AD, it assumed the appearance we still see today, with porticoes surrounding it on at least three sides.
To the east and west, numerous shops overlooked the portico. To the south, spanning the entire width of the square, the civic basilica extended.
The layout of the north side is almost completely unknown, except for a circular structure with steps, which is identified as the Comitium for popular assemblies, dating back to the Republican era.