Domus with Peristylium

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

This type of house, "Domus with Peristylium", has the addition of a peristyle garden behind the Etruscan style house, "Domus with Atrium". It was built from the second century B.C. Wealthy and middle class family dwelt in this kind of house.

This house has an atrium, and a peristylium. The "peristylium" is a open colonnaded garden in the house ("domus"). The roofs over the atrium and peristylium are open to the sky in order to admit light and fresh air. This model is two stories high. The sunshine is admitted from the atrium and peristylium, and there are few windows opening outward. This structure is helpful in keeping away from noise of the city and danger like "Domus with Atrium". The rooms have beautiful paintings on the wall, and mosaic floors.

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)	rooms bedrooms	cubicula (sg. cubiculum)	The series of rooms opening onto the atrium are called cubicula, which is usually used as families' bedrooms. Both side of the fauces are sometimes shops for rent ("tabernae"). In such case, the rooms open outward.
(3)	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.
(4)	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).
(5)	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.
(6)	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) .
(7)	passage hallway	andron	This space is a passage leading from atrium to peristylium.
(8)	storeroom		This room used as a storeroom next to the alae. For example, this space is sometimes used as library, "librarium" in Latin.
(9)	rooms bedrooms	cubicula (sg. cubiculum)	The series of rooms opening onto the peristylium are used as larger bedrooms than cubicula around atrium. In the case of wealthy family, there are sometimes bathrooms ("latrina").
(10)	back door	posticum	The peristylium has a back door. Slaves, retailers etc come in and out.
(11)	peristyle garden	peristylium	The peristylium is a open colonnaded garden within the building. It keeps flowers, trees, fountains, benches, fishpond ("piscina"), etc. There are also herbs for cooking. Romans can relax and enjoy a garden. The "Lararium", which is a shrine for the household gods "Lares", is located in the peristylium, or in the atrium.
(12)	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.
(13)	exedra	exedra	The "Exedra" is a room opening into the peristylium, and used for feasts or meeting. The wall paintings are usually very elaborated and its theme is connected to the garden.
(14)	summer dining room	triclinium	This room, "triclinium", is also a dining room like the triclinium around the atrium, but this is wide open into the peristylium. So, this room is used as the place to eat in the shade getting away from the sun during the hot summer.

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)

rooms
bedrooms

cubicula
(sg. cubiculum)

The series of rooms opening onto the atrium are called cubicula, which is usually used as families' bedrooms. Both side of the fauces are sometimes shops for rent ("tabernae"). In such case, the rooms open outward.

(3)

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.

(4)

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).

(5)

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.

(6)

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) .

(7)

passage
hallway

andron

This space is a passage leading from atrium to peristylium.

(8)

storeroom

This room used as a storeroom next to the alae. For example, this space is sometimes used as library, "librarium" in Latin.

(9)

rooms
bedrooms

cubicula
(sg. cubiculum)

The series of rooms opening onto the peristylium are used as larger bedrooms than cubicula around atrium. In the case of wealthy family, there are sometimes bathrooms ("latrina").

(10)

back door

posticum

The peristylium has a back door. Slaves, retailers etc come in and out.

(11)

peristyle garden

peristylium

The peristylium is a open colonnaded garden within the building. It keeps flowers, trees, fountains, benches, fishpond ("piscina"), etc. There are also herbs for cooking. Romans can relax and enjoy a garden. The "Lararium", which is a shrine for the household gods "Lares", is located in the peristylium, or in the atrium.

(12)

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.

(13)

exedra

The "Exedra" is a room opening into the peristylium, and used for feasts or meeting. The wall paintings are usually very elaborated and its theme is connected to the garden.

(14)

summer dining room

triclinium

This room, "triclinium", is also a dining room like the triclinium around the atrium, but this is wide open into the peristylium. So, this room is used as the place to eat in the shade getting away from the sun during the hot summer.

Domus with Peristylium

Room Layout

3D Models