The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-09-10

HOUSES OF THE ROMANS.
The Manner of Their Construction-Nero'
Golden Palace.


Golden Palace.
In the early ages of Rome the houses
were merely thatched cottages, saws
the n. Y. Ledger. After the city was
burned by the Gauls they were built
In a more spacious and convenient
style, and of more substantial materials,
but so great was the haste to have them
erected that no attention was paid to
the regularity of the streets. Every
one set down his habitation according
to his own taste or fancy.
The success of the Roman arms in
Greece served to introduce an immense
improvement in the Roman architec-
ture, and toward the Augustan era
Rome might well boast of the magnifi-
oence of. her buildings. During the
reign OF Augustus the improvements
seem to have been conducted on very
extensive scale and to have justified the
emperor in exclaiming that he had
found Rome of brick and had left it of
marble. Still, however, the streets
continued narrow and crooked and the
houses were for the most part of wood,
generally of three stories and very in
convenient. A dreadful confagration
in the reign ofNero reduced the greater
part of Rome to ashes, but it was soon
after rebuilt with increased splendor.
The streets were made of greater
width, and laid out with more regular
ity, and the height of the houses was
restricted to a certain standard. Every
house was ordered to be isolated, and
to be built of stone, so as to be less
subject to destruction by fire This also
contributed to the health and magnif-
cence of Rome, though there were many
at the time who censured the improve
ments and pretended that the narrow
streets and lofty houses produced an
agreeable shade in the heat of summer
and rendered the city both pleasant
and salubrious.
The vestibule of the golden palace
of Nero was so extensive that it had
three porticos, each mile in length,
and which inclosed a large basin of
water surrounded by so many buildings
that they presented the appearance of
a town.
The door was made in general of
different kinds of wood. such as cedar,
cypress, elm, and oak, but sometimes
of iron or of brass. The doors of the
temples were often inlaid with ivory
and gold. They were in general
elevated above the streets by a flight
of steps; at least this was the case in
the temples, and in all probability also
in the houses of Rome, though the
doors of the houses of Pompeii are
found on level with the foot-paths.
The door opened inward, like those
used by us; but among the Greeks, and
in order to confer honor on meritorious
citizens among the Romans, il was
made to open outward. Hence arose
the custom, when a person intended
going out of house, of knocking on
the door to warn those who were pass
ing by to get out of the way-a cir
cumstance which serves to explain some
passages of the dramatic authors of
that period.
A slave, usually in chains, acted as
porter. He bore in his hand bludgeon
and had by his side dog, chained up
like himself. On his lodge was painted
Gave Canem" (beware of the dog).
Dogs are often employed to guard the
temples. Old women were also some
times employed as porters On DAYS
of rejoicing, such as the birth of child,
the doors were ornamented with flow
ers and branches of trees, and in the
evening were illuminated. By a de-
cree of the senate branches of laurel
were suspended at the door and a gar
land of oak leaves was placed on the
summit of the palace of Augustus.
Tiberius declined this honor.
When the door was shut it was Sc
cured by bolts and locks; sometimes
two bolts were used, one above and
the other below. The lock seems to
have been movable, like our paddock.
Knockers or bells appear to have been
generally used.
The gate served as an entrance to
the hall, three sides of which were
supported on pillars. The side oppo-
site to the entrance was fitted up as
the library, where the family archives
were kept. The hall was the principal
and the spot were domes-
tic manufactures were carried on. In
ancient times it served as the kitchen,
and the place where the family supped.
1t was also the room where the noble
families kept the statues of their an
cestors and received company. 1t was
with paintings, statues,
and valuable furniture, and was divided
by curtains. Visitors were received
into these divisions according to their
rank. A blazing wood fire was always
kept in it, and it was the duty of the
porter to provide the necessary fuel.
The Romans seem to have had no
and were sadly annoyed
with smoke; hence the month of
December was called smoky, on ac-
count of the fires which were then
necessary. They seem to have made
use of portable stoves to heat the diff
ferent parts of the house, and, in the
time of Seneca, the plan of heating the
uppes floors from below, by means of
pipes built in the walls. was discovered.