Public Buildings

The main public buildings related to law, administration, religion, and commerce were located in or near the Forum, which served as the hub of public life. On the north-west (left) side of the forum were public latrines, while towards the south-west stood the Temple of Apollo and the law courts building, also known as the Basilica.

The forum was a central gathering place for public meetings and commerce. It housed the official table of weights and measures, ensuring fair trade. To the right of the Temple of Jupiter was the Macellum (produce market), containing 31 shops for dealers and spaces for market stalls.

On the eastern (right) side of the forum were temples associated with the imperial cult, such as the Temple of Genius Augusti (dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva), and the monumental Eumachia building, a space used for business meetings and the sale of cloth.

At the southern end of the forum stood three buildings whose precise functions remain uncertain, but they are generally assumed to have housed the town council and the magistrates, including the Duumviri and Aediles.

For wealthy citizens, erecting or restoring public buildings was more than a civic duty—it was a way to enhance prestige and social standing. Inscriptions and statues proudly bear the names of those responsible for such contributions.

In Herculaneum, relatively few public buildings have been uncovered. The so-called Basilica, also known as the Temple of Theseus, Jupiter, and Hercules, has been variously interpreted as a forum, palaestra, imperial cult building, market, or public portico.

As it is one of the few known public buildings in Herculaneum apart from the theatre, palaestra, and baths, archaeologists have been eager to attribute multiple functions to it.