ABurbe-Suburbe House

Very rich Romans living in the city would own a house, or domus. These houses were specially designed to minimize the noise of the city, and maximize the privacy afforded to occupants. The only way in was presented by the long hallway known as the vestibulum--this hallway was generally flanked by tabernae, shops in the front of the house rented out for a little extra money. After passing through the vestibulum, one would be in the atrium, the entrance area for greeting guests, under an open ceiling above a pool to collect water. The area generally reserved for the family surrounded the peristylium, a colonnaded garden. The rooms in this area included the dining room, the father's study, and the kitchen.