What were the houses like in Roman times?

What were the houses like in Roman times?

People mainly lived in small villages of wooden houses with thatched roofs, much as they had before the Romans arrived. However, some wealthy Romans lived in villas and palaces. Villas were large farms with a big house for the owners. They had lots of servants and farm workers to help run the villa.

What other places did the ancient Romans build?

Many ancient Roman structures like the Pantheon, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum are still standing today thanks to the development of Roman cement and concrete.

How did wealthy Romans keep their houses cool?

The Romans were master architects and kept their homes cool during the summer months by employing a series of architectural tricks that provided ancient forms of air conditioning. For example, some rich residents pumped cold water through the walls of their homes to freshen their dwellings during the summer months.

How were Roman homes built?

Fine Roman homes were built with stone, plaster, and brick. They had tiled roofs. A “villa ubana” was a villa that was fairly close to Rome and could be visited often. A “villa rustica” was a villa that was a far distance from Rome and was only visited seasonally.

What was life like in the home of a rich Roman?

For wealthy Romans, life was good. They lived in beautiful houses – often on the hills outside Rome, away from the noise and the smell. They enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle with luxurious furnishings, surrounded by servants and slaves to cater to their every desire.

How did wealthy Romans decorate their lavish villas?

Rich Romans decorated the floors of their main rooms with mosaics – tiny coloured stones (tesserae). These were stuck to the floor with mortar, a type of cement. Each mosaic used thousands of pieces to make a pattern. Mosaic floors were a statement of wealth and importance.

What kind of houses did rich people live in ancient Rome?

Wealthy Roman citizens in the towns lived in a domus. They were single-storey houses which were built around a courtyard known as an atrium. Atriums had rooms opening up off of them and they had no roofs. A rich Roman house had many rooms including kitchen, bath, dining, bedrooms and rooms for slaves.

What are the rooms in a Roman house called?

The Romans – Housing. The bedroom (cubiculum), dining room (triclinium) and other general living rooms surrounded the atrium. The ala was an open room which had windows in the outside wall. There were two alae, found on each side of the atrium, and it is thought that their main function was to let light into the house.

What is the difference between insulae and Roman houses?

These homes were much nicer than the insulae. Most Roman houses had similar features and rooms. There was an entryway that led to the main area of the house called the atrium. Other rooms such as bedrooms, dining room, and kitchen might be off to the sides of the atrium.

What is the difference between an atrium and a rich Roman house?

Atriums had rooms opening up off of them and they had no roofs. 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.