Transcript Roman domus (house)

The Roman House
and You
A Roman house was not like a
modern-day house.
A Roman house did not have a front
yard and came up right to the
sidewalk.
There were very few windows because
large windows would have
made the house incredibly hot during
the summer and cold during the winter.
The front of a Roman house usually had
a front door (ianua) with two shops
(taberna) on both sides of it.
taberna
taberna
ianua
taberna
ianua
The Roman house was divided into
two parts, each with a courtyard
surrounded by rooms.
Courtyard
#2
Courtyard
#1
Once through
the ianua, one
would proceed
through the
entry hallway
(fauces) to the
first “courtyard”
– the atrium.
ATRIUM
This was the reception hall where the
family received and welcomed guests. In
the atrium were the impluvium and the
lararium.
IMPLUVIUM
This was a
shallow
rectangular
pool which
collected
rain water
from a hole in
the ceiling
of the atrium.
impluvium
LARARIUM
To the right of the
Impluvium was the
lararium – the shrine
to the household gods.
impluvium
atrium
fauces
lararium
Around the atrium were the bedrooms
(cubiculum). The bedrooms did not
have doors, but rather were closed
off with a heavy curtain.
cubiculum
The first area of the house (atrium) was
separated from the second part by the
study (tablinum). Here, most important
business was conducted.
tablinum
The second courtyard area consisted of
open colonnade of pillars (peristylum)
surrounding the garden (hortus).
The peristylum and hortus area was
elaborately decorated and often families
would relax here with guests or on their
own.
peristylum/
hortus
Surrounding the peristylum were
• the slaves’ quarters
• the kitchen (culina)
• the bathroom (latrina)
• the dining room (triclinium).
The kitchen (culina) and the bathroom
(latrina) were located next to each
other due to the need for running water.
culina
latrina
The last room of
the Roman house
was the dining
room (triclinium)
which means
“three couches”.
triclinium
FINIS