Domus

The domus is the residence of the town of Rome in the Roman antiquity. At the time of the last centuries of the Republic and under the Roman Empire, this term indicates the residence of the easy classes, in opposition to the Insula, building of hiring.

Origin

The term domus is very old: it goes up with etymology Indo-European (*dom-) which designated the family on three generations, and its origin draws from the root - dem-, to build. The domus is thus the Roman family home, whose household head bears the name of dominus .

Its antiquated form is known by the funeral urns found in the necropoles of old the Forum romanum which had the shape of a round hut with single part. The basic vestiges of huts found on the Palatin confirm this very modest plan.

The Etruscan influence at the end of the period of the Roman Monarchie sees being born the domus with a rectangular structure, and several parts. However the residence remains rustic, as designation testifies some to the house by the word hortus (Latin vegetable garden) used in the Loi of the Twelve Tables and representing the still close link between the closed dwelling and its garden.

The traditional domus

The urbanization of Rome, the increase in the population, the enrichment of the aristocracy caused a diversification of the habitat: the domus indicates the residence of only one family, and is distinguished from the Insula, investment property populated tenants and villa, initially firm rural then residence out the walls.

The structure of the domus meets the need for the social relations which any family of notable develops: a part located in the axis of the entry of the domus, the Atrium , is intended to accommodate the customers come to present itself to the owner. Domus is thus synonymous with house with atrium .

The domus pompéienne

The excavations carried out with Pompéi made it possible to discover complete domus . Though certainly different from those built in Rome, they gave the standard model of the domus.

The domus in Pompéi was composed of one to two levels; it occupied sometimes all the Parcelle of the insula .

The first part, on the street, was made up of gravers ( tabernae ) (2) (generally rented with craftsmen and merchants with the higher part) framing the Vestibule of entry ( fauces ) (1). The visitor reached then the atrium (3), part with half protected by a roof. The opening of the roof allows rainwater to fill the basin ( Impluvium ) (4), central element of the atrium. On each side are distributed the parts of reception (meeting room or tablinium (5), living room or œcus , dining room (6) or Triclinium ) as well as the kitchens (9), and of the rooms to be slept ( cubicula ) (8). The domestic vault ( lararium or laraire) occupies an angle of the atrium (7).

At the bottom of the domus was possibly baths (the practice being to go to the public thermal baths) and/or a small garden ( hortus ) surrounded by a colonnade (11) and sometimes decorated with a basin (12) or a fountain. On the floor, small parts of reception and rooms.

Example of domus with Pompéi

Random links: