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Triangular Forum (VIII,7,30-34)
Located at the southern edge of the hill of Pompeii, stretching towards the sea and the River Sarno, this triangular piazza is introduced by majestic propylaea (gateways) with Ionic columns, and enveloped by a portico of 95 Doric columns—except on the south side, to avoid blocking the view. It is part of a complete urban development project that arranged the entire area of the ‘theatres’ and ‘temples’ (‘Doric’, of Isis, of Jupiter Meilichius) in the 2nd cent. BC. Along the east side of the colonnade runs a low wall, marking a broad corridor: perhaps a track for athletic and horse races, held on religious holidays. Then there is a lovely building, with a central layout (tholos) around an ancient sacred well with seven Doric columns of tufa and, perhaps, a conical roof, built by the Samnite magistrate Numerius Trebius (as stated in the Oscan inscription of the architrave).
