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Under Roman rule, Pompeii thrived.
The heart of the city was the forum.
Pompeii's forum was huge, surrounded by colonnades and statues of famous Roman citizens.
Your eyes would naturally be drawn to the Temple of Jupiter on one end.
It also had a courthouse, administrative buildings, public bathrooms and a market.
The forum would be milling with people going about their everyday business.
A fresco in one of Pompei's villas shows people at the Forum playing board games, chatting, bartering, admiring statues - even whipping disobedient children!
Fun fact : we still have many graffiti of the time.
A few were found on the walls of the courthouse (basilica) saying : "Auge loves Allotenus", "Epaphra, you are bald!", "Phileros is a eunuch!"