Rome: cultural and everyday life Flashcards
Main features of: insulae
- apartment housing for common people
- very crowded/dodgy
- constant fear of collapse
- above or behind tabernae
- no cooking allowed inside due to insulae made of wood
Main features of: Domus
- upper class
- single house
- inward facing (dissuade burglars + increased privacy)
- centred around the central courtyard (atrium/peristyle)
- brick with tiled roofs
Main features of villa
large, surrounded cities
Main features of: roads
- designed for/by military
- fastest direct route to particular place
- used also by trade/communication
- slightly curved to direct water
- epigraphic evidence (twelve tables) saying roads be 8ft/12ft wide
- 3 layers (Foundation rubble, rudus well compacted, summum dermum paved)
What was the Via Appia and Via Sacra
Appia: main road,
Sacra: road into forum
Main features of: Regia
- administrative
- official headquarters of Pontifex Maximus
- archives and records
Main features of: Basilica Julia
- Commercial and Judicial
- tabernae and civil law courts
- used in the sessions of Centumviri
Main features of Basilica Aemelia
- Commercial
- tabernaes
- bankers and money changes too
Main features of Curia
- Political
- foot of Capitoline Hill
- all political/military matters discussed
Main features of Temple of Vesta
- Vestal virgins
- contains Sacred fire (symbolises Rome’s luck)
Main features of Temple of Saturn
- religious and administrative
- official treasury of Rome
- housed state archives/official weights
Main features of Tabularium
- Administrative
- official records office
- housed city officials (office)
Main features of Rostra
- political
- The platform where speeches are made
Main features of Comitium
- space where voting took place
- Rome was buildings
- gathering place for assemblies
held TWELVE TABLES
Main features of Circus
- mass entertainment venue
Main features of Circus Maximus
- chariot racing
- entertainment
- games, gladiatorial fights
Main features of Campus Martius
- public and military training ground
- outside pomperium/Servian walls
- was the focus of triumphs of successful military campaigns
- those could keep imperium here, not in Rome
- housed foreign ambassadors (eg. ISIS)
Main features of Cloaca Maxima
- water from drains/baths/latrines/toilets/fountains discharge into Rome’s drainage and wastewater collection system
- emptied into Tiber river, polluting it
Main features of Hypocaust system
- heating system used in thermaes
- heated water used for hot baths produced steam
- circulated via special channels under floor and walls
- terracotta pipes allowed steam to escape
Main features of aqueducts
- collect fresh water
- firstly from Tiber (dirty), Apennine Mountains
- Had a constant supply of water to Rome
- conduit carried water
- covered to prevent water being contaminated
- flowed by GRAVITY
- not stored, flushes streets
- tunnels, two tier, siphons
Main features of thermae
- socially important
- regularly went to
- gender separated
- only the wealthy had one in the home
- some had Palaestrae
Distribution process of water:
- originates in the Apennine Mountains
- carried to Rome via aqueducts
- enters cisterns (castella) –> through lead/terracotta pipes to forica, thermae, public fountains, private homes
- waste/excess water goes into Cloaca Maxima–> Tiber river
Main features of Forica
- communal, large open area
- only wealthy had private ones
Main features of Gladiators
- prisoners of war
- slaves
- entertainment
- fought to the death
- wooden sword freed them from slavery/arena
Main features of theatres
- hosted plays, open air
- provided comforts to the audience
- the amphitheatre was elliptical
- wild animals were also featured
