Roman Curia (Curia), literally “meeting place”, was a building in the Forum Romanum intended for Senate meetings. Built-in the 7th century BCE by king Tullius Hostilius, hence its earlier name – Curia Hostillia.
The building burned down and was rebuilt under Julius Caesar, taking the name Curia Iulia, during the rebuilding of the forum. The building was put into use in 29 BCE. After a fire in 283 CE during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, the curia was destroyed again but was rebuilt, most likely according to the plans of the burnt building.
The curia was built of brick walls, and the floor was covered with a marble mosaic with black and white diamonds. The walls were lined with marble in the lower part and decorated with stucco in the upper part. In the meeting room opposite the entrance, against the wall, there was a podium intended for the praesidium of the senate. There were steps along both walls that housed chairs for the senators. There was a golden statuette and an altar to the goddess Victoria in the boardroom.
In the Curia, apart from the usual sessions of the Senate, also sessions of the Council of Decurions were held.
In front of the Curia, there was the Comitium where people gathered during the republic. Traces of this building have remained to this day.
