Forum (Roman)

: either fora or forums) was a public square in a municipium, or any civitas, of Ancient Rome reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls.

But such fora functioned secondarily for multiple purposes, including as social meeting places for discussion.

[2] In addition to its standard function as a marketplace, a forum was a gathering place of great social significance, and often the scene of diverse activities, including political discussions and debates, rendezvous, meetings, et cetera.

Fora were the first of any civitas synoecized whether Latin, Italic, Etruscan, Greek, Celtic, or other.

While similar in use and function to fora, most were created in the Middle Ages and are often not a part of the original city footprint.

The Roman Forum in Rome, Italy
The Forum of Jerash , in Jordan. The columns mark the location of a stoa , or covered walkway, where the stalls of open-air vendors might be located in bad weather. Note the semi-circular shape and traces of a central podium, similar in function to a theatre.