PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

Roman Life–Homes
A survey in Rome in AD 350 indicated that the number of apartment blocks was over 45 000. The
insulae had no internal drains, so waste was often thrown into the street gutters, as the early Romans
were unaware of the connection between health and poor hygiene.
After the Romans defeated the Greek settlements of southern Italy around 250 BC they adopted their
grid system of city streets built at right angles to each other. They then added Roman features—the forum, the
centre of Roman cities where government and religious buildings were found; the amphitheatres for public
entertainment; the public baths; and water systems.
Fire was a constant risk in Rome’s wooden buildings so the emperor, Augustus, set up fire brigades, each with
1 000 firemen, to cover different areas throughout the city. They used simple hand pumps and wet sponges to
dampen wooden walls to prevent a fire spreading.
Most surviving Roman furniture is made of metal or marble because the more common wooden furniture has
rotted over the centuries. As rich Romans often ate outside in their pleasant climate, tables were commonly
made of marble or some other stone.
The wicks in the oil lamps were made from the stems of plants which were dipped into wax and then twisted
together into a kind of rope similar to tapers today. Thousands of Roman lamps have survived because they were
made of metal or fired clay. Lanterns were also widely used, with the flame being protected by pieces of horn or
an animal bladder.
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