Life in Ancient Rome 3: The House
Where did the Romans live?
Most Romans lived in insula. These were similar to tenement flats. You often find
that there were shops on the ground floor and several storeys of flats above them.
The wealthier Romans could afford to stay in a domus. This was a house, often
single storey. These too often had shops at the front of them, with the house located
behind. The wealthy Roman might also have a villa in the countryside. This was a
country house or sometimes just a large farmhouse on an estate.
The Domus
Label the domus using the
following words: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Vestibulum
Fauces
Atrium
Impluvium
Ala
Lararium
Cubicula
Tablinum
Triclinium
Peristylium
Hortus
Culina
Latrina
Tabernae
Exhedra
Porch
Hall
Main Room
Rain Trough
Alcove
Family Shrine
Bedroom
Study
Dining Room
Courtyard
Garden
Kitchen
Toilet
Shop
Sun Lounge
The Entrance
A passageway, fauces, led from the street
into the atrium. The floor of the entrance
was often decorated with a mosaic such as
the one on the right. ‘Cave canem’ means
beware of the dog. This was to deter
burglars. Often wealthy Romans would
keep a guard dog chained at the front door.
Sometimes a slave was used instead.
The Atrium - The atrium was used to entertain any guests that visited the house.
There was a hole in the roof of the atrium. This was called the compluvium and it
was used both to let light into the atrium and to channel the rainwater into the
trough below, the impluvium, where it would drain into a tank for later use. The
inside walls of the house would be richly decorated with frescoes and paintings,
often depicting mythological or hunting scenes, and the floor would have a mosaic.
Also in the atrium you would find the lararium, the shrine to the gods that
protected the household.
The Study – The tablinum was the large reception room of the house. It was only
separated from the atrium by a curtain which could easily be drawn back and
toward the peristylium it was separated by a wooden screen or wide doors. This
was the room in which the master of the house received his clients in the morning.
The Bedroom - Those bedrooms situated around the atrium tended to be smaller
than those round the peristylium. To the Romans these rooms were apparently of
less importance than the other rooms of the house. The ceilings were vaulted and
lower above the bed, often making the room appear a cramped and stuffy place.
The Dining Room - The triclinium was named after the three couches typically
found in the dining rooms of upper class Romans. Most Roman dining rooms were
very small and had just enough room for the three couches and the table. A chair
with a back was considered suitable only for women or old men. Dining couches
were fairly wide, for each couch held three diners, who reclined on their left side
resting on large cushions while slaves served the meal.
The Kitchen – The culina or kitchen was usually small, dark, and poorly
ventilated, relegated to an obscure corner of the house. Wealthy matronae did not
prepare meals; that was the job of their numerous household slaves, so it did not
matter if the room was hot and smoky. Baking was done in ovens, whose tops were
utilised to keep dishes warm. Embers from the oven could be placed below metal
braziers for a form of “stove-top” cooking.
The Garden – The peristylium (sometimes called the peristyle in English) was in
effect the garden of the house. Though in the case of the Roman house, it was
incorporated into the house itself and was usually surrounded by columns
supporting the roof.
In it were grown herbs and flowers,
particularly roses, violets and lilies it
appears. Small statues and statuettes
and other ornamental artwork or outdoor
furniture would adorn the space which,
on sunny days, would be used as an
outside dining area.
The toilet and bathroom – In the Roman house it is common to find the toilet
situated right next to the kitchen. In most houses they drained away into a cesspit.
Only the public toilets had a proper sewage system. It was very rare for a Roman
house to have a private baths in the house. Most Romans used the public
bathhouse. Only the very rich could afford a bath in their house.
The Taberna – At the front of many Roman houses was a small room to each side
of the entrance. These little rooms were often used as shops. Usually there was a
brick counter to display goods by the entrance. The entrance to the shops was from
the street and it did not access the atrium.
Task – Copy the plan of the Domus into your jotter. Now label the rooms of
the domus using the words provided in the box next to the plan.
Once you have completed this task write the following headings in your
jotter, making sure that you leave a couple of lines below each heading.
1. The Entrance
2. The Atrium
3. The Study
4. The Bedroom
5. The Dining Room
6. The Kitchen
7. The Garden
8. The Toilet
9. The Shops
Imagine that you have to guide someone around the house. Using the
information on the worksheet, write a short description of each room
under the appropriate heading.
Word bank
Mosaic: A design or decoration made up of small pieces of glass, stone or
ceramic.
Shrine: A place of worship
Fresco: A method of painting using watercolours painting directly onto
wet plaster