Among the more important public buildings of Pompeii were the public baths (thermae). Three different establishments of this character have been discovered, the first, the baths near the forum, though the smallest of the three, is in some respects the most complete and so well preserved that we trace without difficulty all the separate apartments described to us by Roman authors— the apodyterium, frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, and so on. (See BATHS.) The greater thermae (the so-called "Stabian" baths), which were originally built in the 2nd century B.C., and repaired about 8o B.C., are more extensive and combine a palaestra in the centre and other apartments for exercise or recreation. An inscription records the repair and restoration of the edifice after the earthquake of 63. These two establishments were inadequate to supply the wants of the inhabitants, and a third edifice, the so called central baths, at the corner of the Strada Stabiana and the Strada di Nola, but on a still more extensive scale, intended for men only, was in course of construction in A.D. 79.
Far more interesting is the insight afforded us by the numerous private houses and shops into the ordinary life and habits of the population of an ancient town. The houses at Pompeii are gen erally low, rarely exceeding two storeys in height; the upper storey is generally of a slight construction, and occupied by small rooms, serving as garrets, or sleeping places for slaves. From the mode of destruction of the city these upper floors were in most cases crushed in and destroyed. The principal living rooms, as well as those intended for the reception of guests or clients, were all on the ground floor, the centre being formed by the atrium, or hall, which had an opening in the centre—the comp/uvium, so called because the rain from the roofs was collected by it and fell into a basin (the imp/uvium). In the larger houses it was often surrounded with columns. Into this opened other rooms, the en trances to which, rarely protected by doors, were only closed by curtains. At the back was a garden. Later, under Greek influ ences, a peristyle with rooms took the place of the garden.
All the apartments and arrangements described by Vitruvius and other ancient writers may be readily traced in the houses of Pompeii, and in many instances these have for the first time enabled us to understand the technical terms and details trans mitted to us by Latin authors. We must not, however, hastily assume that the examples thus preserved to us by a singular acci dent are to be taken as representing the style of building in all the Roman and Italian towns—in fact, the excavations at Ostia (q.v.) have shown us the contrary. We know from Cicero that Capua was remarkable for its broad streets and widespread build ings, and it is probable that the Campanian towns in general partook of the same character. At Pompeii indeed the streets were not wide, but they were straight and regular, and the houses of the better class occupied considerable spaces, presenting in this respect no doubt a striking contrast, not only with those of Rome itself, but with those of many other Italian towns, where the buildings would necessarily be huddled together from the circum stances of their position. Even at Pompeii itself, on the south side
of the city, where the ground slopes somewhat steeply towards the sea, houses are found which consisted of three storeys or more, and with the inner walls painted black (with white designs on them) owing to the brilliancy of the light.
The excavations have provided examples of houses of every description, from the humble dwelling-place of the artisan or proletarian, with only three or four small rooms, to the stately mansions of Sallust, of the Faun, of the Golden Cupids, of the Silver Wedding, of the Vettii, of Pansa, etc.—the last of which is among the most regular in plan. But the general similarity in their plan and arrangement is very striking, and in all those that rise above a very humble class the leading divisions of the interior, the atrium, tablinum, peristyle, etc., may be traced with unfailing regularity. In all the more considerable houses in Pompeii the front, where it faces one of the principal streets, is occupied with shops, usually of small size, and without any communication with the interior of the mansion. In general the shop had a very small apartment behind it, and probably in most cases a sleeping cham ber above it, reached by a staircase. The front of the shop was open to the street, but was capable of being closed with wooden shutters. Not only have the shops of silversmiths been recognized by the precious objects of that metal found in them, but large quantities of fruits of various kinds preserved in glass vessels, various descriptions of corn and pulse, loaves of bread, moulds for pastry, fishing-nets and many other objects too numerous to mention, have been found in such a condition as to be identified without difficulty. Inns and wine-shops appear to have been numerous; one of the latter we can see to have been a ther7nopol ium, where hot drinks were sold. Bakers' shops are also frequent, though arrangements for grinding and baking appear to have formed part of every large family establishment. In other cases, however, these were on a larger scale, provided with numerous querns or hand-mills of the well-known form, evidently intended for public supply. Other establishments on a large scale were fullonicae (fullers' shops), where all the details of the business were illustrated by paintings still visible on the walls. Dyers' shops, a tannery and a shop where colours were ground and manu factured are of special interest, as is also the house of a surgeon, where numerous surgical instruments were found, some of them of a very ingenious and elaborate description, but all made of bronze. A blacksmith's shop was also found, with many tools that had been brought in for repair : here were discovered the remains of a groma, the instrument used by Roman land-surveyors, which has been successfully reconstructed (Della Corte in Monu menti dei Lincei, 1922). Another curious discovery was that of the abode of a sculptor, containing his tools, as well as blocks of marble and half-finished statues.