Basilica Aemilia he basilica Aemilia was built in 179 BC by Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, both censors at that time. The basilica was enlarged by Aemilius Paulus. In 14 BC the basilica was burnt down. Augustus rebuilt it. In the fifth century the basilica was eventually destroyed and burnt down by the Goths, under the command of Alaric. Later Alaric stated it had not been done on purpose.Traces of the fire are still to be seen. The floor is green-spotted because of the copper coins, which had melted into the marble. The oxidisation of the copper left the green spots in the course of time.

The building consisted of two floors. Next to the forum there was a shopping-arcade. Besides there was a double colonnade with a length of one hundred metres. First the basilica was a rectangular hall surrounded by a colonnade. Later it was expanded to a basilica with three naves. The ground was made of marble with lots of colours. The roof was covered by bronze tiles.

In the fifth century BC there were a couple of butcher's shops. According to a myth this is the place where Lucius Verginius killed his daughter Virginia with a knife from a butcher's shop because she had become a slave of Marcus Claudius, a 'cliens' of Appius Claudius. A 'cliens' was a free but poor person who was financially supported by his lord. In return the cliens had to give political and practical support to his lord. At the time Virginia's father was far away from Rome with the army. When Marcus Claudius in a session of the court claimed Virginia as his slave the court consented. But it was not a fair session because Appius Claudius was the judge, so he was not impartial. Virginia's father came back to Rome, too late however to get her free. Then he killed his own beloved daughter in order to keep her out of slavery.

Partly due to the basilica Aemilia, the Roman Forum became a meeting place surrounded by palaces, which is typically Roman. Buildings for the normal people, like this basilica, were mostly just as nice and beautiful as a palace for a king.