: Many homes featured an outdoor courtyard or garden surrounded by a colonnade, providing a tranquil escape from city life.
In the Roman world, a was a single-family home occupied by the upper classes. Unlike the cramped insulae (apartment blocks) used by the lower classes, the domus was designed as a sophisticated sanctuary that balanced private family life with public social duty. : Many homes featured an outdoor courtyard or
: The heart of the home, this central hall featured an opening in the roof to allow light and fresh air. Below this opening, a cistern called an impluvium collected rainwater for household use. : Many homes featured an outdoor courtyard or