Domus
A Roman single-family house, most often owned by the economic elite; frequent site of business and religious activity
Domus (plural domus) is a Latin term referring to a single-family house. Domus were usually located within a city or town, and were most often owned by the wealthier classes of society. Domus did not strictly conform to a specific layout, but many Roman domus did have features consistent with one another; with the most popular style being the atrium house. Generally in atrium houses, one would enter a domus through a hallway and into the atrium, from which the rest of the house would branch off. Atria often served as greeting rooms where clients would wait to meet with their patron. This made atria an important part of a domus not only for the organization of one's client meetings, but also for the display of one's personal or familial status. Atria often contained lavish decorations, shrines dedicated to deceased illustrious family members, and other examples of wealth and status that would serve to boost the prestige of the family or individual (Becker, n.d.). Atria also provided a means for water collection through the compluvium (a square hole in the ceiling where light, air, and water could enter), and the impluvium (a square pool in the middle of the room which collected rainwater). From the atrium, a domus would typically contain other features such as a tablinum (office or business room), a triclinium (dining or gathering room), and a peristylium (peristyle, square open courtyard surrounded by colonnade walkways). Small square rooms would often flank either side of the atrium, and while these may have been used as bedrooms, their actual purpose cannot be said for certain. Many domus seem to have been two stories, but archaeology gives us little insight into what the layouts of these second stories may have looked like. Domus often served as sources of income for their owners as well, as they often had storefronts, or tabernae, on the street side of the building (Becker, n.d.). These tabernae were often run either by slaves, clients, or freed-slaves still working for their former masters.
Bibliography
Latin Dictionary Entry
Domus - Perseus Digital Library
Jay Brodzeller, 2022