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Suburban Villa

Plan and model of a Pompeian villa type / document Ohto Kokko

Located in the city in the middle of insulae , the suburban villa of ancient Rome was reserved from its surface to a wealthy family.

This dwelling consisted of one to two levels it occupied almost the entire plot of the insula.

The first part, on the street, consisted of stalls (tabernae) (2) (generally rented to artisans and merchants, with the top piece) flanking the lobby entrance (fauces) (1). The visitor then reached the atrium (3), half piece protected by a roof. The opening of the roof allows rainwater to fill the basin ( catchment area ) (4), central atrium. On either side are distributed reception rooms (meeting room or tablinium (5), living room or oecus , dining room (6) or triclinium ) and kitchens (9), and bedrooms (cubicles) (8 ). The domestic chapel (or lararium lararium ) occupies a corner of the atrium (7).

At the back of the house was eventually baths (the habit is to go to the baths public) and / or a small garden (Hortus) surrounded by a colonnade (11) and sometimes decorated with a pool (12) or a fountain. Upstairs, small reception rooms and bedrooms.