Domus with Atrium

This page deals with a house with atrium in ancient Rome. There are a room layout, names of each part, and reconstruction images.

There were various styles of Roman town house, which was called "domus" in Latin. The size of the house or number of rooms were depend on the wealth. This model is a typical Roman house. Wealthy and middle class family dwelt in this kind of house. It originated from Etruscan.

This house has an atrium in the center, and the roof over the atrium is open to the sky in order to admit light and to impound rainwater. This house is two stories high, and has a garden. The sunshine is admitted from the atrium and the garden, and there are few windows opening outward. This structure is helpful in keeping away from noise of the city and danger. The rooms have beautiful paintings on the wall, and mosaic floors. The garden is also kept beautifully, and sometimes has sculptures and fountains.

Number	Name	Latin	Commentary
(1)	foyer entrance	fauces	The fauces literally means "throat". It is a narrow foyer, which leads to the atrium. The entrance hall is called "vestibulum".
(2)	shop for rent	taberna	Both side of the fauces are shops for rent, which open outward. The upstairs of the shops ("pergula" in Latin) are rooms that the borrowers live.
(3)	atrium	atrium	The atrium is a open central court, or central reception area. The roof over the atrium is open in order to admit light and to impound rainwater. The rainwater pours from the roof opening ("compluvium" in Latin) into a basin ("impluvium" in Latin).
(4)	rooms bedrooms	cubicula (sg. cubiculum)	The series of rooms opening onto the atrium are called cubicula, which is usually used as families' bedrooms.
(5)	office, study	tablinum	The room open to the atrium and opposite to the entrance is called "tablinum". The name tablinum is derived from "tabula" (writing tablet or document), and this room is used as an office where the master of the house does office work, and greets his clients ("cliens" in Latin) .
(6)	wings	alae	These two rooms both side of atrium are multipurpose. Sometimes they are used to store hallowed masks or the bust of family ancestors. The singular is "ala" which means wing.
(7)	kitchen	culina	This room is used for food preparation or cooking. The toilet ("latrina") is usually located in the kitchen, and wastes are discharged into sewers.
(8)	dining room	triclinium	This room is a formal dining room, which called "triclinium". The name "triclinium" is derived from Greek words, "tri-" (three) and "kline" (couch). There are three couches (sg: "lectus", pl: "lecti" in Latin) on three sides of a low square table. The master of the house and the guests hold a feast lying on these couches. This was a formal style in ancient Rome.
(9)	passage hallway	andron	This space is a passage leading from atrium to garden.
(10)	garden	hortus	The open space, which located backward, is garden. It is well arranged, and sometimes has sculptures and fountains.

Number

Name

Latin

Commentary

(1)

foyer
entrance

fauces

The fauces literally means "throat". It is a narrow foyer, which leads to the atrium. The entrance hall is called "vestibulum".

(2)

shop for rent

taberna

Both side of the fauces are shops for rent, which open outward. The upstairs of the shops ("pergula" in Latin) are rooms that the borrowers live.

(3)

atrium

The atrium is a open central court, or central reception area. The roof over the atrium is open in order to admit light and to impound rainwater. The rainwater pours from the roof opening ("compluvium" in Latin) into a basin ("impluvium" in Latin).

(4)

rooms
bedrooms

cubicula
(sg. cubiculum)

The series of rooms opening onto the atrium are called cubicula, which is usually used as families' bedrooms.

(5)

office, study

tablinum

The room open to the atrium and opposite to the entrance is called "tablinum". The name tablinum is derived from "tabula" (writing tablet or document), and this room is used as an office where the master of the house does office work, and greets his clients ("cliens" in Latin) .

(6)

wings

alae

These two rooms both side of atrium are multipurpose. Sometimes they are used to store hallowed masks or the bust of family ancestors. The singular is "ala" which means wing.

(7)

kitchen

culina

This room is used for food preparation or cooking. The toilet ("latrina") is usually located in the kitchen, and wastes are discharged into sewers.

(8)

dining room

triclinium

This room is a formal dining room, which called "triclinium". The name "triclinium" is derived from Greek words, "tri-" (three) and "kline" (couch). There are three couches (sg: "lectus", pl: "lecti" in Latin) on three sides of a low square table. The master of the house and the guests hold a feast lying on these couches. This was a formal style in ancient Rome.

(9)

passage
hallway

andron

This space is a passage leading from atrium to garden.

(10)

garden

hortus

The open space, which located backward, is garden. It is well arranged, and sometimes has sculptures and fountains.