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In ancient Rome, social structure dictated the Roman household. The house, or domus, reflected a homeowner's social standing in the community. A Roman house was not seen as an escape from reality, as it is in today's modern world. In fact, "the Roman house was made for the public eye and was meant to display how much wealth and prestige the owner had" (Lockey, 2009). Both work and social happenings went on in the Roman home, which nurtured the patron-client relationship that was so valued at this time. Even the more private and secluded areas of the house, like the dining area, were made to impress any visitor who came over for social interactions. Being invited into the more private areas of the house told the guest how much he or she was valued.
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While most people lived in cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum, the wealthy and elite could afford to own a house on the countryside, called a villa. Villas took their homeowners from the crowded and loud streets of the city and provided a place they could relax and enjoy nature.
Enjoying the view of nature around them was the resident's main priority. According to Vitruvius, the plan of a villa "reverses the order of the city domus-with-peristyle so that the tabllinum and the reception suites can enjoy the view throughout their ample windows." Villas were often two-stories so the visitors and homeowners could enjoy the view from a higher place. Homeowners in the Augustan-period added "a large apsidal room beyond the tablinum that cut through the peristyle and extended to the edge of the villa's platform" (Clarke, 1991:19). Like the paintings in the Second, Third, and Fourth Style were "framed" with painted windows or columns, ancient Romans also liked to view their nature this way, by looking though a window from their villa. The Romans went so far as to create two pavilions called diaetae, which were built into the corners of the peristyle. These diaetae would stress specific views for the visitor. (Clarke, 1991:20)
Enjoying the view of nature around them was the resident's main priority. According to Vitruvius, the plan of a villa "reverses the order of the city domus-with-peristyle so that the tabllinum and the reception suites can enjoy the view throughout their ample windows." Villas were often two-stories so the visitors and homeowners could enjoy the view from a higher place. Homeowners in the Augustan-period added "a large apsidal room beyond the tablinum that cut through the peristyle and extended to the edge of the villa's platform" (Clarke, 1991:19). Like the paintings in the Second, Third, and Fourth Style were "framed" with painted windows or columns, ancient Romans also liked to view their nature this way, by looking though a window from their villa. The Romans went so far as to create two pavilions called diaetae, which were built into the corners of the peristyle. These diaetae would stress specific views for the visitor. (Clarke, 1991:20)