Column of Phocas Monument
Late Roman honorific column in the Roman Forum
The Column of Phocas stands in the Roman Forum as a late antique dedication. Visitors encounter it while touring the Forum's layers of temples, arches and imperial monuments.
Column of Phocas at a Glance#
Address: Column of Phocas, Roman Forum, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Admission: Located within the Roman Forum site; access included with Roman Forum/Colosseum ticket
About Column of Phocas#
The Column of Phocas is a tall, freestanding Corinthian column standing in the Roman Forum in Rome. It was erected in the early 7th century and is one of the latest dated monuments in the Forum.
The column was dedicated in 608 CE to the Byzantine emperor Phocas; it is recorded as one of the final honorary monuments erected in the ancient Forum. Over time the column survived while many surrounding buildings fell into ruin or were quarried for stone.
Located within the archaeological area of the Roman Forum in central Rome, the column sits among the Forum’s ruins close to the Curia and the Arch of Septimius Severus.
- Date of erection: Erected in 608 CE, it is commonly cited as the last monumental addition placed in the Roman Forum.
How to Get to Column of Phocas#
The Column of Phocas stands inside the Roman Forum in central Rome. The easiest public-transit route is Metro Line B to Colosseo station; from there it’s a 10-15 minute walk across Largo Corrado Ricci and along Via dei Fori Imperiali/Via Sacra into the Forum. By car it is in the city centre (near Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum) - from Piazza Venezia the site is only about 1 km away; access by car is limited and parking is not convenient, so use public transport or walk.
Tips for Visiting Column of Phocas#
- Visit early in the morning as part of a combined Colosseum/Roman Forum/Palatine ticket to see the Column of Phocas before tour groups arrive - the column is inside the Forum complex and access is via the Roman Forum ticket.
- Start at the Forum's main walkway and head straight to the southeastern corner where the column stands; many visitors overlook the dedicatory inscription and base details, so take a moment to read the inscription and study the monument up close.
- For a different perspective and better photos, walk up to the Capitoline Hill or the surrounding rampside viewpoints to capture the column in the wider context of the Forum and nearby ruins.
Best Time to Visit Column of Phocas#
Best visited in spring or autumn when temperatures are mild and crowds are lower than in peak summer.
Weather & Climate near Column of Phocas#
Column of Phocas's climate is classified as Hot-Summer Mediterranean - Hot-Summer Mediterranean climate with warm summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 4°C to 30°C. Moderate rainfall (705 mm/year).
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Acceptable | 4° - 12° | 7° | 73 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 1.9 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.4h |
| February | Good | 4° - 13° | 8° | 67 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 2.1 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.5h |
| March | Very Good | 6° - 16° | 11° | 58 mm | partly cloudy | 76% | 2.4 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 11.8h |
| April | Very Good | 8° - 18° | 13° | 57 mm | partly cloudy | 72% | 2.5 m/s | 1.2 high | 13.2h |
| May | Excellent | 12° - 23° | 18° | 41 mm | some cloud | 68% | 2.1 m/s | 1.7 very high | 14.4h |
| June | Ideal | 16° - 27° | 22° | 30 mm | mostly sunny | 62% | 2.2 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 15.0h |
| July | Ideal | 19° - 30° | 25° | 15 mm | clear | 55% | 2.3 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 14.7h |
| August | Ideal | 19° - 30° | 25° | 33 mm | clear | 55% | 2.2 m/s | 1.8 very high | 13.7h |
| September | Excellent | 16° - 27° | 21° | 64 mm | mostly sunny | 64% | 2.0 m/s | 1.2 high | 12.3h |
| October | Very Good | 12° - 22° | 17° | 88 mm | some cloud | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 11.0h |
| November | Good | 8° - 16° | 12° | 96 mm | partly cloudy | 80% | 1.9 m/s | 0.3 low | 9.7h |
| December | Acceptable | 5° - 13° | 8° | 83 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.1h |
