A Journey through Ancient Rome
A journey into the Roman domus between luxury, shadows and secrets
The Roman domus was the house of the wealthy, a closed universe protected from the chaos of the busy streets. The entrance, which often welcomed visitors with a mosaic bearing the inscription "cave canem", beware of the dog, led to the atrium, the heart of the house, illuminated by the compluvium and with the impluvium at the centre to collect rainwater. Here the master received his clients. On the sides opened the bedrooms, small and dark. Beyond the tablinum, the master's office, the peristyle opened up, a porticoed garden with fountains and statues, and around it, the triclinium for banquets. The furnishings were essential but precious, in contrast with the richness of the frescoed walls and coloured floors. A world of luxury and contrasts, where every space told of the family's power and hierarchy.
