Latin House Terms

Today, on my way to the shipyard, to talk with the manager there about the ship I have an interest in, I sketched out a rough floor plan for my proposed "Townhouse" villa on Palatine Hill.  The diagram is for a two story villa with a small garden  I believe that I have enough rooms outlined to meet all my present and future needs for a foreseeable time ahead.  I am presently doing a little research into the meanings of some of the latin names for the rooms and spaces in the villa.  So far the following items are on my list:

--Atrium / Peristyle:-Enclosed spaces open to light and air.  An open central court from which enclosed rooms led off.  The sloped hole in the roof was called the compluvian, and the hole in the floor impluvium which served as water collection.

--Peristyle:-An open courtyard within the house, with columns or square pillars surrounding the garden which supported a shady roofed portico, whose inner walls were often embellished with elaborate wall paintings of landscape and architecture.  The courtyard might contain:

• flowers and shrubs;
• benches;
• fountains;
• sculpture;
• fish ponds;
• the lararium, a shrine  for the lares (household gods), might br located here or in the atrium. 

--Tabulinum:-Tabulae (family records);

--Cubiculi:-Bedrooms, three;

--Triclinia:-Dining Room;

--Oeci:-Reception Rooms;

--Hypocaust:-heating structure under the building;

-- Latrina:-lavatory, toilet;

-- Frigidarium; (cold room)

    tepidarium; (warm room)

    caldarium (hot room):-baths, three rooms;

--bibliotheca:-library;

-- officium:-office;

--lararium:-Temple;

-- cucina:-kitchen;

--copia; horreum (for wine):-storerooms, (wine, oil, wood, garum, grain, charcoal, etc.)

--acticus:-access, exit;

--Portico:-acollonade (line of columns) with a roof structure over a walkway.  

--Columnade:-row of columns;

--cryptoporticus:-covered walk;

--cenatorium:-dining room;

--xystus:-open colonnade, walk, or avenue

--horatus rusticus:-  rustic garden, outside of the house;

--palaestra:-gymnasium;

--posticulum:-small back building;

--fauces:-throat, pass, or narrow channel;

--Tablinum:-Family records.

Well, I think that is all that I should be concerned with.  Now comes the drawing of the plans.  That will be the next task.

By the way I have sent the pictures of the Roman stone bridge model that I built to the Militarium, and the warship that is under construction is there as well.  For those who may have an interest in Roman Military subjects I offer the chanc to join the Militarium after you become a Nova Roma citizen.

Respectfully;

Marcus Audens