Denia Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I recently read in different books about Roman houses, but I can't seem to find out what the exact function of the tablinum was. And which furniture was inside (a table, a desk)? Last question: how did you get from the atrium into the perystilium. Someone told me this was only possible through the tablinum, but on most pictures I see a kind of corridor at one side of the tablinum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 (edited) I recently read in different books about Roman houses, but I can't seem to find out what the exact function of the tablinum was. And which furniture was inside (a table, a desk)? Last question: how did you get from the atrium into the perystilium. Someone told me this was only possible through the tablinum, but on most pictures I see a kind of corridor at one side of the tablinum. The tablinum was the large reception room of the house. It was situated between the atrium and the peristylium. The tablinum generally had no wall separating it from the atrium at all and little if any walls dividing it from the peristylium. It was only separated from the atrium by a curtain which could easily be drawn back and toward the peristylium it was separated by a wooden screen or wide doors. Hence if the doors/screens and curtains of the tablinum were all opened to increase ventilation during a hot day, one could see from the atrium through the tablinum into the peristylium. In the early days, the tablinum would have acted as the study of the head of the family, the paterfamilias. The corridor that you mention was known as the andron this was a passageway from the atrium through to the peristylium. http://www.roman-empire.net/society/soc-house.html Edited March 16, 2008 by Gaius Paulinus Maximus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denia Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 http://www.roman-empire.net/society/soc-house.html [/i] Thank you! www.roman-empire.net gives a lot of information! Do you also know where I can find pictures of a furnished replica of (the rooms in) a house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Do you also know where I can find pictures of a furnished replica of (the rooms in) a house? UNRV member Pertinax has posted in his UNRV Gallery pictures of re-created furnished Roman rooms. You can access his album via this link: Pertinax's re-enactment pictures Just click on the pictures to enlarge them. Also, awhile back when I visited Philadelphia's Penn Museum, I took pictures of the model Roman house that they have on display there. If you click on this link it will bring you to one of these pictures, which shows the peristylium of the model house. The furnished tablinum can be seen on the left. We have a UNRV member, Northern Neil, who constructs amazing miniatures of ancient Roman buildings. You may want to check out his photo albums in the Roman Gallery, too. UNRV.com gives a lot of information, too. Have fun! -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denia Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Great pictures, Nephele! I had not found out yet that UNRV had a Gallery. It always makes things more clear to me when I can see them. And I know UNRV.com gives a lot of information That's why I became a member. Denia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.