For what was the forum in the city of rome use

The main forum, the Forum Romanum, was the heart of the empire. Itwas Rome’s civic center which held the temples and senate house andother public buildings and the rostra from which trials weresometimes held and numerous political speeches were given. Inaddition, the city of Rome had numerous other fora, (remember thata forum was basically a marketplace) some for general shopping andothers that specialized in such things as spices, vegetables, fish,etc.