Basilica, Pompei

The Basilica stands on the western side of a large square, with the Forum at its centre. It is the oldest Roman basilica ever discovered and has stood here since the 2nd century BC. This was one of Pompeii’s most important buildings, housing the town’s law courts, as well as halls for commercial and financial transactions.

The main entrance was located on one of the building’s two short sides, behind a vestibule. Walk forward from the eastern vestibule through the main entrance into the body of the structure to find the centre of the central colonnaded hall. Here, the vast floor layout contains 28 massive columns made of specially cut tiles. The columns stand as broken stumps today, lacking their upper sections. There is some debate over whether these thick columns supported a complete roof or whether the centre of the building was open to the elements.

Next, direct your gaze straight across the length of the hall to the far short side opposite the entrance. There, standing prominently, is the tribunal, or law court. It consists of a two-metre-high podium originally topped with six Corinthian columns. There are no permanent stairs leading up to the podium, suggesting that temporary steps were used for judges to access it, while also preventing members of the public from reaching the judges during proceedings.

As a final highlight, the walls of the Basilica are decorated with painted stucco, much of which was preserved by the falling ash that buried the city in 79 AD. As you walk along the side aisles of the basilica, look closely at how the decorative plasterwork mimics luxurious marble blocks.