For the first time, artists predominant theme is architectural representation. The buildings are either in small groups or settled within a landscape. In the mosaic above, private buildings and gated structures are depicted. The palaces are highly ornamented and show a rich display of decorative features - columns, pilasters. The second type, the private buildings, have flat, bracket-supported roofs.
Small windows appear.
Unlike the frontal view characteristic of the palaces, the private buildings are shown at an angle. The third type of buildings is the gateway and hippodrome. The mosaics are an example of classical derivation, which is seen in the rendering of the buildings and is similar to the representations of trees and the formal arrangements of the leaves. The mosaics show a combination of influences. They are similar to Pompeian type frescoes, except in that the Pompeian artworks have the illusion of depth.