Episodic memory relies on the hippocampus, a heterogeneous brain region with distinct functions. Spatial representations in the dorsal hippocampus are crucial for contextual memory, while the ventral hippocampus is more involved in emotional processing. Here, we review the literature in rodents highlighting the anatomical and functional properties of the hippocampus along its dorsoventral axis that underlie its role in contextual and emotional memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. We propose that the coordination between the dorsal and ventral hippocampus through