INSULA OF ARA COELI

In the thirties, during the works for separating the Capitol from the others buildings, was found at the foot of the Aracoeli stairs a big edifice called insula, a house for lease composed by different storeys generally used for the working class.
For have the possibility to see the Roman dwelling was important to destroy the mediaval houses created around it comprising a small church of which now there are the belltower and some three mullioned windows.
The first floor of the insula housed the tabernae, the shops of the traders opened towards a courtyard composed by some pilasters and a mezzanine, namely a floor composed by a framework made in wood reaching by a ladder.
The upper floor with the apartaments for lease had a balcony supported by corbelds made in travertine and rectangle windows. The upper floor had three or four floors
Every floor had different rooms and some of them were always closed mainly towards the highest floors.
The Ara Coeli insula is a wonderful example of Roman intensive house.
We know this particular kind of dwellings from the letterature in particular through Marziale and Giovenale that they have written about the crowding of the tenants, the cost of the hire and the riskies caused by the fire and the collapse. In this particular kind of house find accommodation at about 380 people, so it is possible to image the unsafe condictions of living of the poor family in the capital of the Roman Impire.

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