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Sep 20, 2023 · A Roman domus (Latin for “house”) was a residential building designed for one family. Found in almost all major Roman cities, these houses were occupied by wealthier residents. As with modern homes, the buildings shared many primary features and ranged in opulence.
- Lauren Good
- Rosie Lesso
- Domus. Within the city of ancient Rome, the wealthiest Romans, such as Emperors and noblemen lived in a single storey house, called a domus. These homes were very grand indeed, with marble pillars, statues, mosaics and wall paintings.
- Insulae. The vast majority of ordinary working Romans in cities lived in multi-storey apartment buildings or tenement blocks, known as insulae. Sometimes the ground floor of apartment buildings was occupied by shops, and shop owners would live in the space above them.
- Country Villas Beyond Ancient Rome. Beyond the city, wealthy citizens of ancient Rome lived in villas, which were larger than a Domus because there was more land to occupy.
- The Farm Houses and Factories Beyond Ancient Rome. As expected, the countryside of the Roman Empire was not so favorable for the poor, though not always as bad as life in the cities.
A rich Roman house had many rooms including kitchen, bath, dining, bedrooms and rooms for slaves. A long covered porch, or verandah, with a low wall and pillars, was built along the front of the house to keep the rooms cool in the summer. Click here for a plan of a Roman house.
The Romans lived in a wide variety of homes depending on whether they were wealthy or poor. The poor lived in cramped apartments in the cities or in small shacks in the country. The rich lived in private homes in the city or large villas in the country.
Not all Romans lived in villas. The majority of people living in the country lived in houses in the style of the celtic houses. These houses were usually round and made of timber and thatched. Did you know? Only one percent of people in Roman Britain lived in villas. How do we know what Roman houses were like?
The Roman House. Housing varied greatly throughout the Empire. For those who could afford a house, whether in Rome or outside the city, furnishings were usually sparse. One might find beds with mattresses of fine-combed wool set on wooden slats or ropes, a cupboard, and small tables in a bedroom.
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Jan 7, 2021 · Roman domestic architecture offers a vivid snapshot of the complexities and nuances of social stratification within the ancient world. The evolution of house types—from the domus and insulae to country villas and farmhouses—reflects the diverse lifestyles and economic realities of their inhabitants.
