Fascinating Facts About Roman Houses: Its History, Residents, And More

Excavations in north Africa have revealed a lot about the way in which ancient Romans lived.

Ancient Roman architecture was impressive, however, the fruits of such advancements were only enjoyed by the rich classes. There is a lot that we can learn about Roman houses just by looking at the ruins that still remain today.

By understanding more about the way these houses were constructed, we can get a better idea of what everyday life was like for the people who lived in them. Did you know that the Roman houses were very different from the ones we see today?

In fact, many of the features that we take for granted in our homes were not common in Roman houses. For example, Roman houses typically did not have bathrooms or indoor plumbing. Let's discuss some of the most interesting facts about Roman houses!

Country Houses In The Roman Era

Country houses in the Roman Era were built in a variety of styles, depending on the region in which they were located. In general, however, Roman houses shared certain features.

For example, most Roman houses had a central courtyard that was surrounded by a colonnade. This courtyard served as a gathering place for the family and was often used for cooking or entertaining guests.

There were two types of country houses in Rome - namely villa rustica and villa urbana. As the name suggests, a villa rustica would be placed in a more rural setting.

On the other hand, the villa urbana would be near the city. Both types were luxurious villas and were made for the rich people of the ancient world. The Imperial villas were almost always around places such as the Gulf of Naples, Isle of Capri, or the Coast of Antium.

Another common feature of Roman houses was the atrium. The atrium was a large room that was located near the entrance of the house. This room typically had a hole in the roof that allowed sunlight to enter. In some cases, the atrium also served as a burial chamber for the family's ancestors.

Roman homes were also typically decorated with murals and mosaics. These artworks helped to create a sense of luxury and sophistication. In addition, Roman houses often featured elaborate flooring systems, such as marble tiles or mosaics.

Parts Of A Roman House

There were essentially three types of Roman houses.

Wealthy Romans lived in lavish Roman villas, while the lower and middle classes lived in apartment blocks. These apartments had smaller rooms and very few amenities.

In fact, the apartments did not even have any sanitation or plumbing. They were made from mud bricks and other cheap materials, which created a hazard. The apartments often collapsed and were not safe places to live in Rome.

The upper floors of these apartments were very dangerous, even when they were made of concrete. The ordinary people were nearly always at great risk.

The other type of Roman villa was the domus. Domus houses belonged to the rich people of ancient Rome and were large villas with a lot of space. There would be a dining room, kitchen, and several other rooms for the inhabitants.

Other types of villas in ancient Rome included the country house. The Roman villa rustica would be built a little away from the city and would have several servants.

The central hall would have a large space and scanty furnishing in order to make the open rooms seem even more spacious. These villas would add to the lavishness of the lives of wealthy Romans. They also had villa urbanas, which would be placed in the city of Rome.

These villas had a similar set of features as villa rusticas! The rooms would be large and plentiful, with an abundance of servants and many amenities!

Development Of Roman Houses

It is interesting to note that the design of Roman houses changed over time. For example, during the Republic period (509-27 BCE), Roman houses were typically small and simple.

However, during the Imperial period (27 BCE-476 CE), Roman houses became much larger and more elaborate. This change is likely due to the increased wealth of the Roman Empire during this time.

As resources became easier to find, the lower and middle-class Romans also started to live in much safer spaces. This was essential since they were severely compromised in the apartments or insulae.

Such buildings lacked sanitation facilities and did not have any plumbing. Since they were built from cheap materials, the apartments did not offer much safety to the people. They did not have much access to heating either.

The houses of the wealthy ancient Romans are said to have cost as much as two million denarii. Additionally, fine Roman homes were typically constructed with brick, plaster, and stone.

The Atrium Of A Roman House

The atrium was arguably the most interesting and lavish part of a wealthy Roman house.

In villas called the domus, there would be a large room with high ceilings, which would serve as the place where guests met and exchanged greetings. Unlike other rooms, atriums had a small central opening which would lead rainwater to a cistern.

Romans made sure to keep the furnishing of atriums scanty so as to make it look as if there was more space. In a domus house, the central opening of the atrium ceiling would be lined with slanted roofs so has to lead the rainwater skillfully.

Heating In Roman Houses

The apartment blocks built for the humbler classes of Romans did not have many amenities, while the rich people enjoyed an impressive set of facilities in their houses.

A wealthy house in ancient Rome would be centrally heated. This was achieved by leading naturally heated water from springs through the plumbing and sewer system. Understandably, the humbler classes were unable to afford such luxuries. Hence, they were forced to make use of cheaper options - which came in the form of portable stoves.

The burning charcoal would give them heat. However, there were no chimneys to let the smoke out. Hence, the lower and middle classes would rely on their trusty doors and windows for ventilation!