| Daily public life in Pompeii, like that in all civilizations, can | | | | gradual urban growth. Many other large-scale urban |
| be divided into the political, religious, commercial and | | | | areas of the late Roman empire that remain in the |
| recreational spheres. As the city developed and grew | | | | Middle East and North Africa were products of the |
| in prominence. magnificent structures and public | | | | castrum plan used for the design of military camps |
| spaces were created in order to fulfil the | | | | and later colonial cities. Pompeii's eventual form |
| corresponding functions of each of these areas of life. | | | | reflected the work and ambitions of its people, not |
| Even in Roman times Pompeii was a very old city, | | | | primarily the imposition of rules laid down by a town |
| wich its roots in Samnite, Oscan and Greek cultures. It | | | | planner. |
| had grown slowly from a small agrarian community | | | | At the time of its destruction, the Forum was still the |
| which was located along routes across the | | | | heart of the city. The main political organizations, |
| southwestern quarter of the city. Pompeii's urban and | | | | religious festivals, civic and legal administrative bodies |
| architectural development passed through five stages: | | | | as well as entertainments and markets were all based |
| pre-Roman, colonial Roman, imperial Roman and | | | | in and around the Forum. In the Praedia of Julia Feliz |
| post-earthquake/pre-eruption. | | | | there was originally a 100-foot frieze depicting |
| It has been difficult for architectural historians and | | | | everyday life in the Forum. Only 33 feet of this |
| archaeologists to gain a clear picture of what Pompeii | | | | survives, but it is a crucial archaeological document |
| may have looked like before the devastating | | | | showing crowds of shopkeepers under the |
| earthquake of AD 62 because so much of Pompeii | | | | colonnades, men reading the latest news written on |
| was redesigned and rebuilt. However. part of Pompeii's | | | | panels, a student being publicly flogged by his teacher |
| significance is due to the fact that it was a result of | | | | and a woman and a little girl giving alms to an old man. |