Roman Housing Flashcards
House of the wooden partition:
Location
Herculaneum
House of the wooden partition:
Origin of name
Preserved wooden partition (3 panels) ,separated atrium from tablinium
House of the wooden partition:
5 most significant features
1) conventional ‘domus’ layout
2) marble table in front of the impluvium
3) Wood carbonised during vesuvius’ eruption
4) rooms of peristyle were shops
5) stairs leading to upper story
House of Menander:
Location
Pompeii
House of Menander
Origin of name
Portrait on wall of peristyle of the Greek comic playwrite Menander
House of Menander
5 most significant features
1) has a suit of baths-only the wealthiest had bathrooms
2) had one of the largest reception rooms in Pompeii
3) the recess off the atrium had complementary paintings on its 3 walls depicting a scene from the Trojan War
4) contained an elaborate household shrine in the atrium
5) north-west corner has a room coloured predominantly green, with a floor mosaic depicting scenes from the river Nile
House of Octavius Quartio:
Location
Pompeii
House of Octavius Quartio:
Origin of name
Signit ring belonging to Octavius
House of Octavius Quartio
5 significant features
1) especially important peristyle
2) fountain in the impluvium
3) small temple along the lower canal of the garden
4) painting of Diana and Actaeon-
5) - fountain shrine
How did wealthy Romans decorate their houses?
The wealthy lived in a domus
•PAINTED WALLS with scenes from Greek mythology
- Trojan war- house of Menander
•household SHRINE for gods
•PERISTYLE-colonnade, water fountain, even a small temple-house of Octavius Quartio
•ATRIUM- chest if money, impluvium, compluvium, fountain in impluvium-house of octavius Quartio
•MOSAICS/FRESCOES-expensive
Detail about Roman insula
(block of flats) Brick faces concrete Terracotta tiles External staircases Slate roofs Communal toilets Small rooms Poorly constructed-catch fire/collapse 3-5 storeys
Who lived in an insulae?
Poor people
Who lives in a Roman Domus?
The wealthy
What is the atrium and what is it for?
Main room Where family receives friends and clients Most public/formal room Display of power (Chest full of money in atrium) (Leads to a shrine for household gods)
What is the impluvium and what is it used for?
Rectangular pool Gathered water for drinking Centre of atrium ~ 2x3 m (well or fountain)
