Pompeii is a Roman town near Naples in the Italian region of Campania. In the later months of 79AD, Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius. About 2,000 people perished in Pompeii as a result of the eruption which lasted two days. It was buried under 4 to 6 metres of ash and pumice and was forgotten until its accidental discovery in the late 16th century.
When Pompeii was first founded, the Forum was a small market located in the centre of town, at the crossroads of important trade routes to Naples and Stabia. Following the expansion of Pompeii in the 2nd century BC the Forum was no longer located at the centre of town but it continued to be the political, religious and economic centre of Pompeii.
The important role of the Forum in the daily life of the inhabitants of Pompeii is evident by the other buildings surrounding it, such as the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Apollo, the Temple of Vespasian, the Basilica, the honorary arches dedicated to Drusus and Tiberius or Germanicus, municipal buildings, and a range of markets.
The Forum is rectangular in shape, measuring 32 metres by 142 metres, and is paved in travertine. It was surrounded by a covered arcade, or portico, on three of its sides.
Vintage photomechanical print of the Forum in Pompeii Campania, Italy, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-06582).
Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the range of products featuring this vintage photochrom of the Forum in Pompeii.
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