Roman house
Houses of the rich and the upper classes were lavish. The atrium, the most important part of the house, was where guests were greeted. The atrium was open in the centre and was surrounded at least in part by porticoes with high ceilings. It often contained only a little furniture to give the effect of a large space. In the centre was a square roof opening in which rainwater could come and drain inwards from the slanted tiled roof. There were kitchens, bedrooms, a dining room, and a number of open rooms.