Where did the Romans live what were their homes like?

Answer 1

Most Romans lived in apartment blocks called insulae (singular, insula, island). The poor lived on the upper floors which were the least desirable because of the extra stairs and they were less safe in case of fire and, therefore, were cheaper to rent. The apartments on these floors were small and only had small and overcrowded rooms for sleeping. There was no running water, heating, cooking facilities or toilets. The poor went there only to sleep. During the day they and lived outdoors. They ate outdoors, went to outdoors public toilets, and went to the public baths. The insulae were up to six or seven floors. Despite height restrictions, some reached eight or nine floors. Originally they were built in timber and mud brick, later chap concrete was used. Fires and collapses were a common problem, made worse by the fact that they were often built cheaply by speculators. Fires could spread quickly because the insulae were densely packed, often separated only by alleys. After the Great Fire of Rome (64 AD) Nero ordered that the insulae were to be spaced out, built in brick, and faced by porticos on wide roads. Even so, they remained prone fires and collapses because of poor building quality.

The middle class lived on the lower floors of the insulae which were larger and more expensive and had running water. On the ground floor there were shops and workshops.

The detached houses of the rich were called domus and were divided into the areas. There was a public area centred on an atrium where the social life of the family took place and were guests were received. There was also a private area just for the family members, which was centred on a garden which was called peristyle, which was adopted from the Greeks.

There was a vestibulum (vestibule) which was the main entrance hall which led to a large central, hall (the atrium) which was the focal point of this part of the house. The atrium was open at the centre and was partly surrounded by a portico with high ceilings. It often has sparse furnishing to give a stronger feel of a large place. The rooms around the atrium had an inwardly sloping tiled roof (compluvium) which channelled the rainwater to the impluvium, a shallow rectangular sunken portion in the centre of the atrium which collected it. The water was then drained into an underground cistern which had sand to filter it. The bedrooms of the family were on the sides of the atrium. At the sides of the bottom of the atrium there were the alae (wings) which were open spaces that extended this portion of the atrium to the sides of the house. Their purpose is unknown. At the bottom of the atrium there was the tablinium, which was the study of the head of the household. The side facing the atrium did not have a wall, and at the opposite side there was a passage to the peristyle. Therefore the study acted as a passageway between the atrium and the peristyle parts of the house. The head of the household was able to command the house visually. On both sides of the tablinium there were the fauces, which were like two corridors which also provided passages to the peristyle separate from the tablinium. The Triclinium was the dining room where guests reclined on three couches along three sides of a table to eat. It was at the bottom of the atrium, but separated from it by walls, and next to one of the fauces. It could be accessed either from the bottom of the atrium or the peristyle.

The peristyle (Latin, peristilum) was a garden surrounded by columns which supported a roofed portico which provided shade. It had flowers, shrubs, benches, statues, fountains and a fish pond. There were frescoes on the walls. In this area there was also the culina, the kitchen. It had no chimney; therefore it was filled with smoke. It was a dark and gloomy room. By the kitchen there was also the Posticum. This was the servants' entrance or the access to the servants' quarters. Family members sometimes used it to exit unobserved.

Answer 2

well they lived in rome silly and there houses were like old style houses

Answer 3

they live in house

Answer 4

they lived in rome and they lived