TheVicus Jugarius (Latin:Vicus Iugarius), or theStreet of the Yoke-Makers, was an ancient street leading into theRoman Forum.[1] The Vicus Jugarius was very old—perhaps even older than Rome itself. TheLatin wordjugarius can mean either "yoke" or "ridge".
The Vicus Jugarius entered the Forum from the southwest, along the shoulder of theCapitoline Hill and between theTemple of Saturn and theBasilica Julia nearServilius’ Pool. TheArch of Tiberius (now vanished) was built for the street to pass through here. Its other end, in the southernCampus Martius, was near theForum Holitorium. This was the extent of the street in late Republican and Imperial times, but in former days, it was much longer, extending as far as theQuirinal Hill and representing a part of the original trade route to theTiber River. Its ancient name may actually have originally signified a “high-road’, rather than the later sense of “yoke”; something like "the Road along the [Capitoline] Ridge".
A spot on the road known as theEquimaelium perhaps recorded the leveling of the home ofSpurius Maelius.[2][3]
Latin words associated withjugarius includejugalis ("yoked together") andjugo ("to marry" or "join"). Some words deriving from this Latin root are (in English): "yoke", "join", "juncture", "conjugal" and even "yoga" (from theSanskrit rootyuj, meaning "to yoke" or "to unite").Juga, orJugalis, is an epithet of the goddessJuno in her aspect as marriage goddess (she was believed to join a couple in matrimony). AsJuno Juga—Juno of the Yoke of Holy Matrimony—she had an altar on the Vicus Jugarius (exact location unknown). Although it was believed by the ancients that this gave its name to the street, in reality, it was probably the other way around.
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