Houses in Pompeii Flashcards
What was the house like of a wealthy man like Caecilius?
Came right up to pavement
No grass in front
Small, few, high windows - let in light, not heat
Most one storey high (could be 2)
What did many houses have on either side of the main door?
Shops
Why didn’t houses look very attractive from the outside?
It had high walls and few windows
What is the word for door of the house?
Iānua
What was the atrium?
The main room
What was the atrium used for?
important family occasions and receiving visitors
What was the atrium like?
Impressive
Large and high
Contained lots of furniture
What did the roof do?
Slope down slightly towards a large square opening in the middle
What was the impluvium?
A shallow, rectangular pool, lined with marble, which collected rain water
What was one of the most striking things about the atrium?
The sense of space - high roof with glimpse of sky, large floor area and absence of furniture helped this
What would the furniture be like in the atrium?
Bronze of marble table, a couch, perhaps a strong-box in which family valuables were stored
Where would the larārium be?
In a corner, near the door
What was the larārium?
A small shrine at which family gods were worshipped
What was the floor of the atrium paved with?
Marble slabs or sometimes with mosaics
What were the walls decorated with?
Panels of painted plaster
What colours were Pompeiians especially fond of?
Red, orange and blue
What were on many of the panels of the walls?
Scenes from well-known stories, especially the Greek myths
What were arranged around the atrium?
The bedrooms, study and dining-room
What were the entrances to the rooms usually like?
A heavy curtain
What was the tablīnum?
The study
What was the peristylium made up of?
A colonnade of pillars around the Hortus (garden)
What was around the outside of the colonnade?
The summer dining-room, kitchen, lavatory, slaves’ quarters and storage rooms - some houses even had own set of baths
How was the garden laid out?
With flowers and shrubs in a careful plan
What was in the middle of the small fish-pond?
A fountain which threw up a jet of water
What do family members do in the peristylium?
Enjoy the sunshine or shade as they wished; relaxed and entertained guests
