The Roman Villa
Peter Thomann
7-1 Mrs. DiPalma
Latin
Common Vocabulary Used
 Villa- Country House
 Villa Rustica- Country House and Farm
 Patricians- Higher Class Romans
 Plebeians- Lower Class Romans
 Atrium- an open space in the house. It is a synonym
for courtyard.
 Domus- is a self contained house
 Insulae- apartment buildings
 Villa Urbana- a villa in the city
 Villa Maritimae- country houses by the sea
 Vilicus- Overseer of the house
Compare and Contrast between
the Patricians and the Plebeians
 The Plebeians are the lower class Romans. They usually shared
apartments with their extended family. They usually lived in the
city. It was very tight and crowded. They lived in apartment
houses, called flats, above or behind their shops. Even fairly wellto-do tradesmen might chose to live in an apartment-building
compound over their store, with maybe renters on the upper
stories. Their own apartments might be quite roomy, sanitary
and pleasant. But others were not that nice. In the apartment
houses, or flats, an entire family might all be crowded into one
room, without running water. They had to haul their water in
from public facilities.
 Fire was dangerous because people were cooking meals in
crowded areas and some of the flats were made of wood.
 They didn't have toilets, and had to use the public facilities
Compare and Contrast between
the Patricians and the Plebeians
 The patricians were the upper class Romans. They lived
very differently. Their homes were single family homes,
which in ancient Rome meant the grandparents, parents,
and kids of one family lived in a home together unlike
having two different families in an apartment.
 Homes were made most of the brick with red tile roofs. The
rooms were arranged around a central courtyard. The
windows and balconies faced the courtyard to keep homes
safe from burglars. There were painting on the walls and
mosaics on the floor. There was very little furniture and no
carpeting. Wealthy Romans might have a house with a
front door, bedrooms, an office, a kitchen, a dining room, a
garden, a temple, an atrium, a toilet, and a private bath.
Compare and Contrast between
the Patricians and the Plebeians
Plebeians
 The Plebeians were the lower class.
This was a typical apartment
building. There is one door.
There were separate floors.
Usually two families lived in
one apartment.
This is a depiction of what an
apartment looks like.
Someone is throwing
something out the window
which was very common
because sewers didn’t exist.
Plebeians
In Ancient Rome the Plebeians often lived in the city
where it was very crowded.
Plebeians
 Since the Plebeians didn’t
have baths in their home they
had to use the public baths
and restrooms.
Patricians
 The Patricians were the upper
class. This included Gaius
Cornelius’ family. They were
people that were wealthy.
Many of the Patricians were
involved in government, just
like Gaius Cornelius.
Patricians also included kings
and queens.
Patricians
The Patricians
had beautiful
mosaics on the
floor.
Patricians
The
Patricians
homes were
made of red
tile roofs
and were
made of
brick and
stone.
More Homes
Shops
 Shops were a common feature on Roman streets in the
front part of many houses and apartment. Most were
single rooms but a large number also had rooms in the
back for storage in addition to a living quarters. Some
shops sold imported goods, while others, like bakeries,
would make their wares onsite. During the empire,
many shops were built in planned, concentrated
markets. Other types of shops, such as inns were
common.
Animals in the Home
 The Romans may have had
some animals that they used
in their homes. A horse may
have been used by Gaius
Cornelius. Oxen and donkeys
could have been used for
farming or transportation.
Some say the Romans used
elephants for war and
carrying large amounts. Dogs
also may have been in the
house.
Slavery in the Home
This was most likely the
slave quarters of a
home. The slaves often
lived beneath the other
rooms.
Chores in the Home

Unlike men, women were expected to stay at
home every day so they could complete the
chores around the house and watch the
children while their husbands were at work.
Very few women were allowed to hold jobs
such as being a teacher or doctor. The men
were the masters of the house and the family..
If you had been a rich man, you would have
begun your day by putting on your toga and
eating a breakfast. Before leaving for town,
you would pray at the household shrine. The
rich man would then begin his work. After a
light lunch, you might take a nap, get a
haircut, and finish your work for the day. In
the late afternoon, all of the Roman men went
to the public bathes, then home to enjoy a
dinner with friends.

Children of wealthy families in Rome started
school when they were seven years old. Boys
stayed at school longer than girls and learned
different things. Girls who went to school
learned how to spin, weave, cook, and clean.
Girls of poor families learned all of these
things at home since they could not afford to
go to school. Almost all boys, except for those
of very poor families went to school to learn
how to read, write in Latin and Greek, do
math, and make speeches. These skills were
necessary for boys who wished to get a job in
the government.
Fun Facts
 The Romans usually
lived with their family.
 Tradesmen looked for a
shop that they could
have a house behind.
Finished