Notable examples of public or civic buildings in ancient Pompeii include, the Forum, basilica, Eumachia, granaries, baths, theater complex, and macellum etc. Public buildings in Pompeii were constructed through a combination of government funding and private contributions. Many essential public structures, such as the Forum, Basilica, and Macellum, were funded by the city’s municipal treasury. Some buildings were constructed with funds provided by the Roman Empire, especially those that served administrative and propagandistic purposes.

Prominent individuals and wealthy families often funded (Euergetism (see N2)) public buildings as a way to gain social prestige and demonstrate their civic pride. For example, the construction or renovation of bathhouses, theatres, and other leisure facilities were sometimes financed by affluent citizens. This practice, where wealthy individuals financed public works to gain favor and enhance their social standing, was common. These contributions were often commemorated with inscriptions dedicating the buildings to the benefactors.

The combination of state resources and private philanthropy ensured that Pompeii had a wide array of public buildings, reflecting both the organizational capabilities of the Roman government and the civic-mindedness of its wealthier citizens.

circa 10 CE

Aerarium or the Carcer
VII.7.27

circa 10 CE

Records Hall
VIII.2.8

circa 10 CE

Comitium or Hall of the Elections
VIII.3.1

circa 10 CE

Public Administration Buildings: Magistrates Office
VIII.2.10

circa 10 CE

Entrance to the Comitium or Hall of the Elections
VIII.3.32

circa 10 CE

Large Palaestra
II.7
The "Large Palaestra" consists of a large open air square, approximately 140 x 140 m, surrounded by porticoes and enclosed by a high wall with battlements in which there are 10 doors. All that is left of the centuries-old plane trees that were on the three sides of the great courtyard at the time of the eruption are moulds of the roots and there lies a 23 x 35 m pool at the centre. It was built in the Augustan period, at the beginning of the first century CE, and was intended for the physical and intellectual training of young citizens. Many erotic or poetic graffiti have been left by visitors on the walls and columns. Numerous victims were found during the excavation who had looked for a refuge or a way to escape through the building in vain.

circa 150 BCE

Triangular Forum
VIII.7
The Triangular Forum (Foro Triangolare), which takes its name from its unique shape, stands on a ridge of lava rock that overlooked the valley and the mouth of the river Sarno, and preserves one of the oldest sacred areas in the city dating back to the 6th century BCE. It was accessed from via dei Teatri, through a hallway with six columns that formed the monumental façade, preceded by a public fountain. The inner portico was built in the second century BCE and surrounds the area of the Doric Temple with tuff columns.

circa 70 BCE

Amphitheatre
II.6
The Amphitheatre of Pompeii (Anfiteatro) is the oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre. Built around 70 BCE, the current amphitheatre is the earliest Roman amphitheatre known to have been built of stone; previously, they had been built out of wood. The Amphitheater measures 135 meters long and 104 meters wide. The arena (pit) is measured to be 6 meters below ground level. The only internal feature of the Amphitheater at Pompeii was a standard corridor that cut into the base of cavea. This corridor ran the circumference of the amphitheater and is what's used to access the arena.

circa 150 BCE

Theatre
The Large Theatre at Pompeii was built into a natural hill in the second century BCE. This theatre sat roughly 4,000 spectators, and is one of the original permanent stone theatres to stand in Rome. In the Greek style, the tiered seating extends from the orchestra carved out of the hillside. The Roman influence is seen above this gallery where four tiers rested upon an arched corridor. The cavae, audience seating area, was divided into three sections. The lower most section, the ima, was reserved for senators, magistrates, and other noble people.

circa 80 BCE

Small Theatre (Odeon)
VIII.7.17, VIII.7.18, VIII.7.19
The Odeon or theatrum tectum as it was called by the Romans, was built during the early years of the colony (circa 79 BCE), as evidenced by an inscription, as requested by two local magistrates, Marcus Porcius and Caius Quinctius Valgus who also requested the construction of the amphitheatre. This building was dedicated to the representation of the most popular theatrical genre at the time, miming, and could also be used for musical and singing performances. It was richly decorated with multi- coloured marbles whereas large male tuff figures (telamones) supported the steps. The structure was completely covered by a functional roof to improve the acoustics. The plaster of the external masonry retains many graffiti of the spectators of the shows that were held here, sometimes even from very distant regions.

circa 150 BCE

Gladiator Barracks
VIII.7.16
The building of Gladiator Barracks (Caserma dei Gladiatori) or the quadriporticus of the theatre (Quadriportico dei Teatri) constituted the headquarters of the corporation of gladiators and was used for their training, as indicated by the 120 gladiatorial theme inscriptions found inside the building. After the earthquake of 62 AD the structure changed its function and became a private home, probably based on the decision taken by the Senate of Rome to dissolve gladiators’ associations after a violent riot broke out between the people from Pompeii and those from Nocera.

circa 80 BCE

Forum Baths
The Forum Baths are located behind the Templ of Jupiter and date back to the years immediately after the founding of the colony of veterans by General Silla (80 BCE). Women's and men's quarters had separate entrances. The men's section presents an apodyterium (dressing room), used also as a tepidarium (for medium temperature baths), frigidarium (for cold baths) and calidarium (for hot baths). Like many buildings in Pompeii, the baths were heavily damaged during the earthquake of 62 CE. The current state mainly derives from the results of the subsequent restoration works.

circa 150 BCE

Stabian Baths
The Stabian baths (Terme Stabiane), which date back to the second century BCE, are among the oldest in the ancient Roman world. The main entrance on via dell'Abbondanza leads to a large courtyard. The pool is found to the left, whereas a colonnade is found to the right, which leads to the men's quarters, which are split into the apodyterium (dressing room), with the frigidarium (for cold baths), which leads to the tepidarium (for medium temperature baths) and then to the calidarium (for hot baths).

circa 150 BCE

Macellum
VII.9.7
The Macellum of Pompeii was located on the Forum and as the provision market (or macellum) of Pompeii was one of the focal points of the ancient city. The building was constructed in several phases. When the earthquake of 62 CE destroyed large parts of Pompeii, the Macellum was also damaged, and had not been fully repaired until the 79 CE eruption. The Macellum of Pompeii is located outside the northeast corner of the forum.

circa 130 BCE

Basilica
VIII.1.1
The Basilica, with its extension of 1,500 square metres, was the most sumptuous building of the Forum, and its space was used to carry out business and for the administration of justice. It is accessed from the Forum through five entrances separated by tuff pillars; inside it is divided into three naves with two rows of brick columns with Ionic capitals. A richly decorated suggestum, where judges sat while judicial affairs were managed, is located at the centre of the short western side. The space was enhanced with an equestrian statue, whereas the walls are richly decorated with stucco like large blocks of marble. The Basilica is dated back to 130-120 BCE and is one of the oldest examples of this type of building in the entire Roman world. It was excavated since the 19th century, when investigations in the Forum square area began.

circa 150 BCE

Forum
VII.8
The square of the Roman Forum originally looked like a simple open area with an overall regular shape, made of clay and its western side opened on to the Sanctuary of Apollo, whereas the eastern side had a row of shops. The Forum was significantly modified between the third and second century BCE when the shape of the square was regularised, surrounded by porticoes and the bottom paved with slabs of tuff. The axis of the square became the façade of the Temple of Jupiter, aligned with Mount Vesuvius.

circa 65 CE

Municipality Halls: The Office of the Aediles
VIII.2.6
Three almost identical buildings situated on the southern side of the Forum were the seat of the town’s municipal offices.

The most important of these were the office of the Duumviri, the highest authority in the town, the office of the Aediles, who were responsible for public work and maintenance of town building, the Council of Decurions, who acted as town councillors, and the municipal archives. While archaeologists are certain of the general function of the complex, opinion is divided on the actual use of the individual building. The first on the right, in the corner where the Basilica stands, was probably the Curia, seat of the Ordo Decurionum or town council. This building still preserves its marble floor and has an apse on the far wall, while the side walls have three rectangular niches where honorary statues of emperors or eminent citizens of Pompeii once stood. The central building was probably the office of the Duumviri, although some scholars think they may have been the seat of the Council of Decurions. An unusual feature can be seen in the small columns marking out the presence of a podium on which stood wooden cabinets housing administrative files and archives. Finally, the third building has been attributed as the Office of Aediles.

circa 150 BCE

Eumachia
VII.9.1
The building of Eumachia, the largest building near the forum of Pompeii, is commonly broken down into three parts, the chalcidicum, the porticus and the crypta. The chalcidicum encompasses the front of the building and is an important part of the continuous portico running along the east of the forum. The porticus is a four sided colonnade surrounding a large court yard. Finally the crypta is a large corridor (inspect) behind the porticus on the north east and south sides, separated from the porticus by a single wall.

circa

Central Baths
The largest of the city’s bath complexes, taking up an entire block of Regio IX, the Central Baths (Terme Centrali) were under construction at the time of the eruption, and incorporated innovations which had been introduced to the architecture of bath complexes in Rome, such as the Baths of Nero. The eruption ensured that the site remained in an unfinished state, but the ambitious plan can be identified just from the façade, which overlooks the courtyard. The Baths were located at the crossroads between Via di Nola and Via Stabiana, but the main entrance opened onto Via di Nola at number 18, whereby one directly accessed the palaestra (gym). The bathing rooms are arranged in sequence, with the apodyterium, frigidarium, tepidarium and then thelaconicum -a dome-vaulted room with four apses, where one would be exposed to hot and dry air. Following the laconicumwe have the calidarium, whose walls are defined by a series of rectangular and semi-circular niches which must have housed stuccoes and marble statues. One can certainly see evidence of incompleteness everywhere. The basins lack marble coverings, and there are numerous architectural elements, such as capitals and columns, which lie scattered in various rooms and which artisans were still working on in situ at the time of the eruption. They were likely intended to be used in the portico of the palaestra. What is striking is the presence of several windows, which would have provided ample light and plentiful ventilation of the rooms. Unlike in other bath complexes present in the city, there was no division between female and male areas, and thus it is assumed that men and women were permitted to enter at different times.

circa

Samnite Palestra
VIII.7
It's called "Samnite" palestra (Palaestra Sannitica) because the construction, as evidenced by an dedicated inscription, dates back to pre-Roman times, when Pompeii was inhabited by people belonging to the Samnite people (second century BCE). The original colonnade of tuff columns, turned around the central courtyard but during the renovation works of the nearby temple of Isis, the east side was demolished. There is the pedestal at the centre of a short side where they carried out the award-ceremonies and events. According to the Greek model, the palaestra was used for men and boys to train; not by chance, a door connects the courtyard of the palaestra to the Triangular Forum, where a track was found for racing. To emphasise the athletic-military aspect of the building, the people of Pompeii placed a marble statue in the courtyard, now at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, a faithful copy of a very famous work of art, Doryphoros ("spearbearer"), made by one of the most famous Greek sculptors in the 5th century BCE, Polykleitos.

circa

Juvenes Gymnasium
The entrance of the Gymnasium is located in Vicolo della Regina, in an area that had been long closed to the public before being reopened in 2016, following the completion of major safety works. From the outside of the building, one can see a marvellous floor mosaic in the entrance hallway, which depicts a fighting scene with two bare-handed athletes facing each other. On the walls, the frescos portray athletes, wrestlers, a jumper with dumbbells, and the competition judge, known as the Ludi Magister, carrying a sash for the winner. This huge space was part of a thermal bath for men that dates back to the first century CE and was located in a scenic area of the town with wonderful sea view. In the area around the furnace that warmed the baths a lot of silver objects weighing a total of 3kg were found as well as two wax tablets wrapped in cloth. These items tell us about the trading of two slaves.

circa

Republican Baths
VIII.5.36

circa

Sarno Baths
VIII.2.17-21
The "Sarno Bath" (Terme del Sarno) complex, situated in the Regio VIII, is located in the southern most section of ancient Pompeii. This public bath complex occupies the peripheral area of the volcanic plateau on which the city stands and is accessible via a secondary road, today known as Via delle Scuole, which extends southward from the city’s forum. The current layout of the Sarno Bath complex appears to have resulted from the merging, alteration, and expansion of two originally separate atrium houses (houses no. 18 and no. 21), which may have already featured one or more terraced levels. The building's location on a protruding part of the plateau, along with the pre-existing city walls, significantly influenced its architectural design. The removal of the pyroclastic deposits that filled the Sarno Baths was carried out discontinuously between December 1887 and August 1890 CE, proceeding from east to west.