ROMAN HOUSES

HOUSES Most Romans were called plebeians. Wealthy and powerful Romans were called patricians. Wealthy people lived in a private house called domus. Most Romans were called plebeians. Often poor and lived in apartment blocks called insulae.

DOMUS Looked plain from the outside, with blank walls facing the street. Front of the house was often occupied by shops. ATRIUM = OPEN COURTYARD. IMPLUVIUM = POOL OR FOUNTAIN. CUBICULA = BEDROMS. CULINA = KITCHEN. PERISTYLIUM = SMALL WALLED GARDEN

What was a Roman Domus like? Were usually decorated with expensive floor or wall mosaics The used wall paintings called frescos to decorate the houses. Many also had a hypocaust system which was like a central heating system.

To understand how wealthy Romans liked to live. Atrium Source The rich lived in houses which were built around a central hall known as an atrium.  The atrium had rooms opening up off of it and they were also open to the weather as they had no roofs. Many atriums had a trough built into their design so that water could be collected when it rained. What would be the modern day equivalent of the Roman atrium in your houses?

Hypocaust Source To understand how wealthy Romans liked to live. Houses were also centrally heated by what was known as a hypocaust. This was under-floor heating. Slaves were charged with keeping the hypocaust both clean and alight during the day. What would be the advantage of heating your house like this rather than having an open fire?

Roman Mosaics Mosaics were found inside many wealthy Roman Villas. What do you think having a Mosaic in your home symbolised? What was the ‘subject matter’ of Roman Mosaics?

Build Your Domus Latin Name English Name Kitchen Atrium Peristylium Cullina Impluvium Cubicula English Name Kitchen Bedrooms Pool/Fountain Grand Hallway Garden

(Focus on its key features and best selling points) Roman Estate Agency Imagine you are a Roman Estate Agent. You must try and sell a Roman Domus to a wealthy Roman patrician. Write a ‘sales pitch’ describing why they should buy this domus. 15 sentences (Focus on its key features and best selling points)

Can you describe the environment Roman Insulae Roman Insulae were ‘apartment buildings’ located in towns. What class of people may have lived in Insulae? What were the differences between a Roman Villa and Insula..? Can you describe the environment of Roman Insulae?

INSULAE Apartment blocks 5 to 6 storeys high. Families ought or rented either one room of an apartment or else they had an entire floor of the block, depending on their wealth. Lower storeys were built of stone while the upper storeys were built of timber. Rooms at street level were rented as shops – better off families. No toilets, so tenants used public toilets. Sanitation was poor and most waste was simply thrown out the window onto the narrow streets below. No water supply, so people had to draw water from the public fountains which were supplied by the aqueducts. Wood-burning stoves provided heat. As a result, there was always a risk of fire and in AD64 a lot of the Roman insulaes were burnt down in a blaze.

WHAT SORT OF HOUSE DO THESE DESCRIPTIONS FIT? Make a table in your copy with the headings: Roman Domus Roman Insulae 6) Has a large beautiful Hall called an Atrium 1) Not connected to sewers, waste dumped into the street 2) Poorly built, in danger Of Collapsing or catching fire. 7) No running water or Heating System 4) Really small, only room For a bed and a table 3) Connected to the water System, slaves can fetch Water easily 8) Has a Peristyle ( garden) With a grass lawn and Pool with pillars 5) Has an outside toilet Connected to the sewer system

Classwork Very poor Romans lived in Insulae. Very rich Romans lived in Villas. Very poor Romans lived in Insulae. Research and describe the key differences between Roman Villas and Insulae. (15 sentences min).