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Blog update II - Forum

The Forum was the political, spritual and economical center of every Roman town and city. A Forum typically concisted of temples to various roman gods and deities (including Emperors), governmental buildings such as a Curia (courthouse/town hall), Basilica (public space for various activities), merchantile buildings and markets etc.

The Forum of Pompeii is no exception. At the time of its destruction in 79 AD, the layout of the Forum looked something like this:
Lets take a tour of the buildings around the forum and get to know a little about their purpose and history, starting with the most prominent building, the Temple of Jupiter.

Temple of Jupiter


The Temple of Jupiter was the most important spiritual building in Pompeii. Renovated in contemporary Roman style, it featured a raised podium and two equestrian statues. The temple was dedicated mainly to Jupiter, the Roman King of Gods, but also featured statues and niches dedicated to Minerva, God of Wisdom and Strategy, and Juno, Queen of Gods and protector of the state. The cellar of the temple likely featured offering sites and possibly the town treasury. The entrance to the cellar can barely be spotted on the right side of the podium.


Macellum

The Macellum was a building which served several purposes; market, meeting place and a shrine. The building was dominated by an anterior portico (covered walking space with columns), shops on the peripheral and on the inside, a shrine to Emperor Titus and a Tholos, a covered area in this case used for gutting and preparing fish to be sold.

Sanctuary of the Public Lares and Temple of Vespasian



Both of these buildings were dedicated to members of the Imperial Family (the Julio-Claudian and Flavian dynasties at the time, including Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, Caligula and Vespasian and Titus), and featured statues and niches dedicated to them. At the time, prominent Emperors and their close family were associated with divinity and incorporated into the Imperial Cult.

Building of the Eumachia (Portico of Concordia Augusta)



This building was probably built by the town High Priestess (the Eumachia) and dedicated to the Concordia Augusta, the embodiement of harmony and agreement. The entrance featured inscriptions detailing the lives of Romulus and Aeneas, the founders of Rome.

The Comitium, statues, municpial buildings and Basilica

The south end of the Forum featured the Comitium (voting/speech hall), the municipal buildings (including the Curia, courthouse, and the tabularium, library) and four prominent statues dedicated to Agrippina, Augustus, Nero and Claudius. The Basilica was used as a public space for meetings and speeches. It was constructed around 130-120 BC and was one of the oldest of its kind in the Roman world.The city was administratively run from these buildings.


Comitium (left), municipal buildings (middle, back behind the statues and portico) and statues of Agrippina (back left), Augustus (back middle), equestrian Claudius (back right) and equestrian Nero (front). The entrance to the Basilica is on the right, behind the portico.


Sanctuary of Apollo and Sanctuary of Venus

The two sanctuaries with temples were an important part of religious activities around the forum dedicated to two important deities; Apollo God of oracles, archery, healing, youth (and many more) and Venus God of Love, Sex, Beauty etc. The Temple of Venus was undergoing major renovation after the devastating earthquakes that ravaged many parts of the Pompeii in 62 AD years before the disastrous eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, however, I chose to fully build it to show what it might have looked like upon completion.




Wrap up and overview

The Forum has been an exciting start on the the project due to its prominent buildings. Get a view of the entire forum below!