The Curia Hostilia served as one of the primary senate houses for the Roman Republic. According to tradition, the site originated as a temple where warring tribes gathered during the reign of Romulus, eventually evolving into a council chamber for senators advising the king.
The structure underwent several transformations, including a reconstruction by Tullus Hostilius after a fire. In 80 BC, the building was significantly enlarged by Sulla during his renovations of the Comitium. The site also held deep historical significance, housing the Lapis Niger, a series of black marble slabs marking an ancient altar, before the building was eventually destroyed in 52 BC when it was used as a funeral pyre for Publius Clodius Pulcher.