Under Roman rule, Pompeii flourished.
The heart of the city was the Forum.
Pompeii's forum was vast, surrounded by colonnades and statues of famous Roman citizens.
At one end, eyes would naturally be drawn to the Temple of Jupiter.
The Forum also hosted a courthouse, administrative buildings, public baths, and a market.
It would have been bustling with people going about their daily activities.
A fresco in one of Pompei's villas depicts scenes at the Forum : people chatting, bartering, playing board games, admiring statues - even smacking their disobedient children!
Fun fact : many ancient graffiti are still etched into Pompeii's walls today.
Some examples found on the walls of the courthouse include : "Auge loves Allotenus", "Epaphra, you are bald!", and "Phileros is a eunuch!"
