Whose Forum? Imperial and Elite Patronage in the Forum of Pompeii

The forums of municipal towns in the Roman Empire displayed architectural and ideological connections to the capital. This was the case in Pompeii where structures in the forum alluded to buildings in Rome and housed the institution of the Imperial Cult. Studying the forum of Pompeii, in any facet, proves difficult due to a scarcity of evidence. However, using the sparse evidence, this study seeks to create a chronology of the forum of Pompeii’s connection to Imperial Rome. Studying the design and history of four structures on the east side of the forum (Macellum, Imperial Cult Building, Sanctuary of Augustus, Eumachia Building) reveal a change in this connection from the time of Augustus to Pompeii’s destruction in 79 C.E. Initially, elite Pompeians dedicated structures in a manner that glorified the Imperial Family while promoting their own political and social standing. However, after an earthquake in 62 C.E., the forum was repaired in order to create a single statement of Imperial presence. It is likely that a member of the Imperial inner circle or the emperor Nero himself oversaw this rebuilding project in order to standardize Imperial presence at Pompeii. Ultimately, this change in patronage reveals a shift in the way Pompeian citizens perceived their relationship with Rome and the Imperial Family