Roman Housing

• Domus

  a large Roman private house in a city or town
• Who owned Domus?

  Only the very wealthy
• Where did the majority of Romans live?

  Insulae
• Insula

  the Roman name for a block of flats
• How many domus and insulae were there in Rome, according to a 4th cent. AD source?

  2000 Domus

  40000 Insulae
• Where is the best surviving insula?

  Ostia
• What is Ostia?

  A port town near Rome
• How far away was Ostia from Rome?

  Roughly 20 miles
• How tall was the average Insula?

  three to five stories
• Where was access to the upper floors of an Insula?

  staircases off the street
• what were insulae made of?

  brick-faced concrete; wooden beams; terracotta tiles
• examples of large glass windows were found in Ostia
• What did the rooms on the bottom floor of insulae tend to be?

  Shops
• Where would the poorer rooms be in an insula?


  At the top
• Where would the richer rooms be in an insula?

  At the bottom
• What was a very common problem for housing in Rome

  Fires / Collapse
• What is the Insula of Diana known for?

  Best preserved insulae
• Why does the Insula of Diana have a central courtyard?

  To allow light in
• What feature does the Insula of Diana have to provide water?

  Cistern
• What was located on the ground floor of the Insula of Diana?

  Shops
• What additional level is present in the Insula of Diana besides the ground floor?

  Mezzanines
• What was the purpose of the shared toilets in the Insula of Diana?

  For inhabitants' use
• How many staircases did the Insula of Diana have?

  Three
• What type of staircases were present in the Insula of Diana?

  Two external and one internal
• How many storeys did the Insula of Diana have?

  Four
• What was the primary function of a Domus?

  To work, greet friends, and conduct politics
• Where is the best evidence of Domus found?

  Pompeii and Herculaneum
• What are some key features of a Domus?

  Culina, atrium, peristyle, tablinum, triclinium
• What is an impluvium?

  Rectangular pool to catch rainwater
• What is a compluvium?

  Opening in the roof of the atrium
• What colors were commonly used for the walls in a Domus?

  Red, orange, blue, green, yellow, purple, black
• What material was most furniture in a Domus made from?

  Wood
• What type of art was commonly found in a Domus?

  Frescoes depicting Greek myths
• What did the peristyle in a Domus contain?

  Decorations and a variety of plants
• How could the rooms on the outside of a Domus be utilized?

  Converted into shops
• How were bedrooms used in a Domus?

  Not as private spaces, just for sleeping
• Where did slaves typically sleep in a Domus?

  In corridors or corners
• What is known about houses with a second floor?

  Few examples exist, uncertain prevalence
• What was the typical family structure in a Domus?

  Family with close relatives and slaves
• How many people typically lived in a Domus?

  About 20 or more