Pompeii - History and Public Places

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Their History 

 We do not know too much about the history of Pompeii, a city that was the scene of any important event (rather than a major volcanic eruption, of course) and has remained in the shadow of not having made famous destination.

 The presence of a Doric temple of the sixth century BC the city proves that existed at that time and was permeable to Greek influence. Pompeii had been then submitted, to the late sixth century and the beginning of V, for Etruscan domination is another problem, as complex and controversial. Some architectural motifs in terracotta and numerous fragments of vases with inscrpiciones show undoubtedly Etruscan influence in the art. But as political domination, opinions are divided, and some people say that Pompeii has always remained under the supervision of the Greek colony, established at the beginning on the coast, were slowly gaining the country's interior. In any case, even as some Etruscan influence, necessarily end in the year 474 with the defeat of the Etruscans at the Battle of Cumae, which led to Pompeii to be brought under the Greek influence. Towards the 425 starts a whole new historical phase, which, in triungo of the Samnites, from the interior, will meet the first reunion Campania under the rule of an Italic people.

 The fourth century is for a period of expansion cities. From its original core. located in the area of large public buildings, will grow to the north and east, with large housing estates. At the beginning of the third century, Rome defeated the Samnites extends its hegemony throughout the Campania, without thereby resulting significant changes to Pompeii. The town seems to ignore once again the great historical events, and chronicles continue to ignore it until, in the year 59 AD Tacitus tells us a curious anecdote: the quarrel between Pompey and nucerianos that broke out in the amphitheater for gladiatorial combat, which was due no doubt to quarrels steeple.

 Here is the account of Tacitus:

"At that time there was a terrible massacre of Pompeii and nucerianos during a gladiatorial contest organized by the famous Livineius Regulus, expelled from the Roman Senate. The contention was másbien motivode trivial, and at first the audience is limited to trading insults , that passed the stones and finally to arms. They won the Pompey, whose city is celebrating the show. nucerianos Among the many wounded, and not a few people in this city had to mourn the death of their children relatives. The emperor ordered that the senate who was handling the matter, the Senate cinfió the consuls, and they entrust to the Senate again, he finally decided to prohibit Pompeian amphitheater organize games for a period of ten years. Also agreed to the dissolution of associations formed Concul existing laws. As Libineius Regulus and those responsible for the riot, were condemned to exile. "

 Three years later, in 62 AD Pompeii and other cities of Campania were affected by an earthquake, drama perpetuated in the reliefs that the banker Caecilius Jucundus made carve in the atrium of its new home. Pompeii's reaction to catastrophe est made the whole city is transformed into an immense work, with passion that tests the strength of its economy. It bears witness to one of the latest discoveries in the ruins of Pompeii, the famous "treasure" found art in the house of Julius Polybius. These art works have been gathered in one room to not disturb the workers, even as evidence piles of lime and amphorae. It should be clarified that the owner was an influential politician whose good works, which seems very specific, were propagated mural inscriptions such as: "It provides good bread. "

  The verses that follow, scrawled on a wall of the house are very different in tone and form a kind of drama promonición the future:

"Nothing is eternal and shine so much that eventually sinking into the sea. Also, the moon disappears when you still shone a moment in the firmamanto. Then if one day, under the influence of anger, your choice of fire corazónecha flames, remain unmoved, that the storm will soon succeed the gentle breeze. "

The city's public places

 The Curious trapezoidal perimeter of the walls of Pompeii follows the contours of a hill of volcanic origin chosen for its privileged position at the crossroads of several trade routes. But the settlement took place at different times, which explains why within the fortifications, built largely on the semnitas time (late V century and early fourth century BC), had empty areas intended for future expansion. These spaces were not completely filled, so it has been calculated that only two thirds of the urban area were built at the time of the disaster. Thus the population, calculated before twenty thousand people, should not exceed ten thousand.
  The first town was formed in the southwestern corner of the city today, about the Civil Forum, where it flourished and was the largest group of public buildings. With relation to this first núclero, square shaped, triangular space of the Forum, which is further east, was to play the role of foreign sanctuary. Since the sixth century there was a sacred building, the Doric temple. It came after a third public area opposite the first, in the southeast corner, with the amphitheater and arena. In the final phase of development, the three major public buildings were, therefore, in three areas of the south, while occupied residential neighborhoods, from the Samnite period, the center and north. Also in the middle of the neighborhood districts are some public buildings such as baths and shrines, but few in number and never reaching important groups in extension form. 
 The development of neighborhood districts responded to very precise rules. Among the main streets that crossed at right angles, blocks of houses were built in turn split by streets pequeñas.El major north-south axis (cardo maximus) was the street of stabilization and the largest east-west axis (decumani Maximini) the streets of Nola and Abundance. The white spaces can be seen in the survey correspond to unexplored areas or recent excavations have shown that they were never built, as with several plots of I and II. These plots, reserved for future housing and fully fenced, were harvested in the meantime to grow vegetables and vines.

How public buildings were distributed in the three areas of the South?.

The oldest, and most importantly, the Civil Forum, around which are the temple of Apollo, basilica, comitium, Eumaquia building, the Temple of Vespasian, the Sanctuary of the gods lars, the macellum (market) and theTemple of Jupiter.