Form Urbis Romae also called (Form Urbis Severiana) is from the times of the Severan dynasty (193-235 CE) a map of ancient Rome. It is the only plan of this type preserved from antiquity.
Form Urbis Romae was made in the years 203-211 CE. It was carved on about 150 marble slabs with dimensions of 2x1m. The whole, measuring 18x13m, was placed on the inner wall of the Temple of Peace (Templum Pacis).
The map was made to a scale of 1: 240, which means it was accurate enough to show blocks, thermal baths or temples in the very centre of Rome. The creators used markings along with details such as columns or stairways. Plans of this type were used to maintain order on building plots – so they were drawn up from time to time, as soon as the previous version was outdated.
In the Middle Ages, the plan was gradually destroyed. Marble elements were used as a building material or for the production of lime. So far, about 10% of the original plan area has been found in the form of over a thousand marble fragments kept in the Capitoline Museums. So far, researchers have identified over 250 map fragments based on capturing known landmarks such as Colosseum or Great Circus.
