Volcanal ulcanus was the
old Italian God of the Fire. The Volcanal, still called 'The Temple of
Vulcan' today, is in fact no more than an enclosure with an altar on it at
the left side of the Rostra. At the Volcanal was a huge lotus tree, which
was said to have been planted when the Volcanal was first built.
Lots
of monuments surrounded the Volcanal. There was a statue on top of a
column with a Greek inscription. Of course these things haven't been
found. We do know that this was a sacred shrine dedicated to Vulcan. A
tablet has been found documenting a gift by Augustus Caesar to the god
Vulcan in 9 BC. The life of the Volcanal was short lived, as it fell into
disuse in the course of the imperial history of Rome. It was partially
destroyed in order to build the Arch of Septimus Severus on the west side
of the forum.
On the 23rd of August the Volcanalia were celebrated. To
honour Vulcanus people carried out an inexplicable ritual. They threw
living fish, caught in the Tiber, into the fire on the altar.
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