Roman Housing: Countryside and City Dwellings
Roman Housing: Countryside and City
Rural Housing
Three main types of housing existed in the Roman countryside:
- The Urban Village (residence of the large landowner)
- The Large Farm (Villa Rustica)
- The Family Home (Domus)
The Family Home (Domus)
These houses were typically inward-facing, with few or no windows, a single door, and usually only one story. They were built around a partially covered patio called an atrium, which provided light and air to the rooms of the house. These rooms included:
- Cubicula (bedrooms)
- Lararium (a shrine for the household gods, Lares and Penates, where domestic religious rites took place)
The atrium was connected to the outside through the vestibulum. A roof with inward-sloping slopes covered most of the atrium, except for a rectangular opening in the center called the compluvium. This opening provided ventilation and collected rainwater, which fell into a pool in the center of the atrium called the impluvium. The water was then channeled into an underground cistern.
Walls were made of adobe (sun-dried mud bricks) or a mortar of dirt, rocks, and sand. Wood columns, stone, or brick were used to support the roof. Interior walls and columns were often coated with plaster. The roof was covered with a layer of sticks or straw. Floors were typically packed earth, but in the more important parts of the house, they might be covered with small stones or pebbles.
The Large Farm (Villa Rustica)
These houses were very large and complex, dating from the later Roman period. They were built in the most favorable locations on the estate. The materials used were more solid than those of the simpler domus. The villa rustica consisted of housing for the owner or administrator (villicus), as well as housing for the enslaved people and their families. These units were arranged around a large, fenced yard where carts and equipment were kept.
The Urban Village
Owners of large estates lived in these villages, either permanently or for extended periods, especially during the Empire. These dwellings were endowed with all the comforts and luxuries of the city. They could be located near the farm buildings or isolated in select sites. They were often surrounded by gardens and ponds and had many rooms and areas suitable for different seasons.
Housing in the City
Three main types of housing also existed in Roman cities:
- Traditional Domus (lower-middle class)
- Luxury Housing (upper classes)
- Rental Housing (urban proletariat)
Traditional Domus
This was a house with a central atrium. It often had more amenities than its rural counterpart, with two floors. The front might have commercial premises (tabernae) open to the street. This was the normal type of housing in Rome until the end of the Republican era.
Luxury Housing
With the enrichment of the ruling class, the influence of Greek culture, and the new professions of the paterfamilias, a new kind of city dwelling emerged. The side facing the street kept the old structure of the domus, but was dedicated to business and included:
- Tabernae (shops)
- Tablinum (office)
For privacy, a new section was added to this part of the house, modeled on the traditional Greek house. This section was centered around a large inner garden surrounded by columns, called the peristylum. Rooms opened onto the peristylum, including the dining room (triclinium), where it became fashionable to display works of art. The decoration of this part of the house was typically very luxurious: wall paintings covered the walls, and mosaics (made from tiny pieces called tesserae) adorned the floors. The ceilings, often vaulted or coffered, were also decorated. These homes often included a complete thermal system and toilets.
Rental Apartment Houses (Insulae)
The Roman plebs were housed in these apartment buildings, which offered minimal space and comfort. They lacked running water and basic services. The ground floors were occupied by tabernae. Constructed with the cheapest possible materials and techniques, insulae were a profitable investment for Roman capitalists.
In Rome, insulae could be five or six stories high and occupied an entire city block, hence their name, which means “islands.”