The city had a theater, an amphitheater, a gladiators' court, many temples, and three large public baths. The fair blue skies of Pompeii attracted many wealthy Romans. The Pompeians built their villas with all the conveniences of a town in country surroundings. The large dwellings often consisted of two parts, the master's house and gardens, and the farmer's house with stables, barns, orchards, and fields. Town houses in Pompeii often had shops bordering the street.
Archaeologists believe that most buildings had more than one story.
The upper parts of the buildings may have been constructed partly of wood. They projected out over the street, like French and English houses of the Middle Ages. Pompeii carried on a prosperous trade in wine, oil, and breadstuffs. It was a market for the produce of a rich countryside, and its port had wide connections in the Mediterranean area. It was also an industrial center and produced such specialties as millstones, fish sauce, perfumes, and cloth.