Roman Houses

TYPES OF ROMAN HOUSES

Villa• Single Family• Multiple rooms• Typically entire

family would live together

• Typically in the countryside

• Very luxurious• More of a

complex

Domus• Single Family• Multiple

rooms• Had a second

floor• Typically in

the city

Insulae (Apartments)• Multiple Families• One room (typ.)• No running water• No toilets• Usually made of

wood and stone (FIRE!)

• Business owners could live above their shops – those were nicer

VILLA

Roman Villa at Estrees-sur-

Noye, northern France

DOMUS

INSULA

OUTSIDE OF A ROMAN HOUSE

Unimpressive.Plain.

At least half or three quarters of the outer walls would be painted red.

The houses would be flush with a sidewalk, leaving no room for a

front lawn.

TABERNA

• The taberna, or shop, was separate from the rest of the house with an entrance in the front.

• It could be rented out to anyone and be anything, including a snack bar, a wine shop, a toga merchant, etc.

IANUA

• The ianua, or doorway, led to a vestibulum, or entryway. It was often a long hallway, which muffled the sounds and sights (and smells) of the outside. It was also known as the fauces, or throat.

• This hallway was decorated with wall paintings.• The floor had mosaics designed as welcome mats with

phrases such as “Greetings!” or “Welcome Money”, “Beware of Dog!”

ATRIUM

• This room was large, airy, and was lit by the opening in the roof.• It was a formal room for the most part, where

guests and clients would meet/wait in the morning.

The compluvium, the ceiling opening, was above an impluvium, the rainwater pool. The water was collected and then used by the household.

The family usually kept a shrine to their ancestors, known as the lararium, in the atrium. It was off to the side.

Atrium Decorations

ATRIUM

• The atrium was designed to impress and was decorated in a number of designs.

Beautiful motifs in solid colors.

Colorful fake

bricks.

ATRIUM

Little scenes of Cupids playing hide and seek.

Medusa portraits.

TABLINUM

The tablinum, or study/office, was an important room within a Roman house. It was designed with a perfect view of not only the atrium but the peristylium. This room was designed to hold the family records (with their finances) and would often have imagines, or busts of famous ancestors, in here.

TABLINUM

A mosaic found in the tablinum.

A painting found in Caecilius’s tablinum.

Not entirely doorless, the tablinum could be blocked by a lattice design (left) or

folding doors (right).

CUBICULUM

• The cubiculum, or bedroom, were not 100% for sleeping. Most of the interior bedrooms (either upstairs or beyond the tablinum) functioned as bedrooms. The others found near the atrium could be used for a number of reasons – storage, private meetings, a library, etc.

Usually, the cubiculum was decorated quite bare. Rich houses however had very nicely painted

bedrooms.

The cross you see above this

chest was actually a joint to hold another chest above it,

much like a cupboard.

TRICLINIUM

• The triclinium, or dining room, was named after the three couchs (tri) typically found within the room. The lectus, or couch, were all-

purpose and came in a number of sizes and styles.The walls were painted extensively

and would depict scenes from mythology and food. They often

looked like windows to give the illusion of being

outside.

TRICLINIUM

A wall painting with

another Roman style

– the fake door.

PERISTYILIUM

The peristylium, or colonnaded garden, was

found in the “family” half of the house.

The peristylium was decorated with a number of statues, fountains, benches, fish ponds, and wall paintings.

CULINA

• Small, dark, and poorly ventilated. Fires were common.• The culina, or kitchen, was placed in an odd corner of the house.

The ovens were designed for baking, while the top was a warming unit. They did have a way to create stoves using metal.

The two pictures closest

are how the Romans

created what would be

considered an ancient stove

top or grill.

CULINA

LATRINA

The Romans did have indoor plumbing. They even had heated floors! Rich homes had toilets within their homes, even baths, but

the poor had to go to the public toilets, much like what you’d find at a campground.

The above floor mosaic had the great advice that “A bath is good

for you”.

THE END