ABSTRACT
The establishment of the colony came with an influx of Roman veterans that induced a dramatic shift in the demographic and social make up of Pompeii. After the establishment of the colony, Pompeii would flourish for approximately 160 years until the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 ce. The collective import of the buildings and refurbishments, which would supplement already existing Roman spaces such as the Basilica and the Forum, transformed Pompeii into a late Republican colony. Much more than a simple entertainment structure, the Pompeian amphitheater carried a symbolism tied to the status of Pompeii as a colony, the Roman army, and its veterans. In addition to the correlations with civic architecture, Pompeii preserves evidence for the social significance of the city walls through representations in the domestic sphere. The fortifications are robust ramparts built in regular ashlar isodomic masonry, presumably inspired by the opus quadratum of the Pompeian enceinte.
