Roman Houses

1. Roman Houses By Iulia Angotti, Brittania Kach, Angelo Bruno

2. Main Layout of a Roman House CB CB TR P V A TA CB CB C

3. Vestibulum Roman houses were normally bleak and close to the road. When a person would first enter a house, they would see a long narrow hallway called the vestibulum, or sometimes known as the throat. The hallway was elaborately decorated with depictions of both good – such as welcome , or bad – a guard dog.

4. Atrium An atrium is a large room lighted by the compluvium, or an opening in the roof. Here, clients met and waited for the morning visit to their visit to their patrons. However, this atrium was also used to family occasions. It was often decorated with paintings such as cupids playing hide-and-seek.

5. Cubiculum Cubicula were small multipurpose rooms. They were located on the top story of the house. Because the rooms were so small, they used wall paintings to make them appear more spacious. They usually had small furniture to conserve space, such as a sleeping couch and a small carbonized wooden chest.

6. Tablinum The tablinum wad directly behind the atrium and in front of the garden. It was where the family records, finances, and busts of ancient family members were kept. The tablinum had attractive mosaic flowers and was where the master of the house would greet important people.

7. Triclinium The triclinium was named for the three couches usually found in the upper class Romans’ dining. The couch (called the lectus) was used for multiple purposes, such as sleeping, conversing, and dining.

8. Culina The culina is the kitchen. It was usually small. The wealthy people had slaves to prepare all their meals. The main food of the common people was wheat. Grain was also a staple. Wine was a common drink of the Romans.

9. Peristylum A peristylum is an open courtyard garden in the center of a Roman house. It included flowers, shrubs, and wall paintings, as well as fountains, benches, sculptures, and fish ponds. Sometimes, a shrine to the household god, called a lararium, was in the peristylum. It had columns to support a roof that provided shelter.