Ostia: Houses Garden Houses House of the Dioscures House of Apuleius House/Insula of Diana 4.5 / 5 based on 3 ratings ? Classical CivilizationASAll boards Created by: HollyCreated on: 11-05-12 08:29 Garden Houses Plan 1 of 8 Garden Houses Facts Brick stamps suggest it was built sometime between 123-125 AD It was a luxurious residential comlpex nice gardens, expensive apartments, shielded from the noise of the busy streets, located near the (ancient) shore line Central apartments were surrounded by a garden, which was surrounded by further apartments Ground floor had 16 medianum-apartments, a domus, and shops Has at least two storeys The staircases on the inside to the first floors, outer staircases led to further floors In the middle of the complex are two 2x4 apartments, back to back have a ground floor area of 220 square metres however both apartments were used by one family there were doorways between the apartments 2 of 8 Garden Houses Facts (cont.) The main vestibule (entrance) was in the south-east side The walls were 60cm thick meaning there were 4 storeys and possibly 1200 inhabitants The garden had 6 water-basins, and lead pipes supplied water to some the upper floors Buildings 17-20 may have had fountains on the upper floors Buildings of the perimeter had no private water supply - they would use the basins Toilets were most likely on the third floor It was mostly destroyed by an earthquake - which also caused a fire charring can be found and torsion-cracks from the earthquake 3 of 8 House of the Dioscures Plan 4 of 8 House of the Dioscures Facts Named after the polychrome mosaic found in front of Hall H containing the two Dioscures, the twin Gods Castor and Pollux Built in the south-east corner of the Garden Houses Room A is the main entrance, is has a curved wall and threshold Room B has two semicircular niches which directly face the main entrance, these contained statues showing off taste and wealth as soon as you enter the house Room D, next to the main entrance, is possibly a shop It connects to the house with Room E, possibly storage They had corridors for slaves - rich Corridor F and former medianum G caught light from the courtyard of the Garden Houses Hall H contains a black and white mosaic with maeanders 5 of 8 House of the Dioscures Facts (Cont.) Room I was the main hall 10 x 10.5m polychrome mosaic of Venus Anadiomene in a shell supported by two tritons, she is surrounded byNereids on sea creatures North side has an inscription: "That you may do more and dedicate better things!" Rooms M and L contain terracotta pipes for heating the room hot air came from a nearby private bath Room M has a polychrome mosaic Room L contains a black and white geometric mosaic The west side contains bathing rooms: frigidarium 2 x caldarium all the baths are decorated with marble 6 of 8 House of Apuleius Plan 7 of 8 House of Diana Plan 8 of 8
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