The nature of the ban on arms within Rome\'s pomeri

[Nathan Ross]

The Forum (the cattle market) was outside of the pomerium at the time.

The Games of Caesar (and so probably others before him) were held in the Forum Romanum. Excavations have revealed tunnels and lifts dating to the 1st C BC beneath the Forum similar to those later constructed beneath the Flavian Amphitheatre.

the taboo on the Flamen Dialis seeing a soldier in uniform.

Which begs the question of what Roman 'uniform' might be! Doesn't the actual quote, found in Aulus Gellius and elsewhere, refer to 'the centuriae in battle array' or somesuch? So it's an organised body of men that is prohibited, rather than just one man with a pilum.

It's likely that the wearing of military dress, at least by the imperial house, also went by the board. In addition, I can't imagine that Augustus' bodyguard wore togas - although perhaps as Germans they were immune from the taboo!

I once read an interesting essay called (I think) 'Crossing the Pomerium' about imperial portrait statuary in Rome - apparently Julius Caesar was the first man to have a loricata statue placed within the pomerium. Augustus etc followed - the idea being that the imperium of the dictator or emperor was allowed to stand even inside the city.

The German bodyguard would not be citizens, so perhaps my point above about their status follows here too - could be this was one of reasons that the early emperors were so keen on having non-citizen troops about them?