Roman palaces featured several key architectural and design features, including:
1. Atrium: A central courtyard that often had a fountain or pool in the middle.
2. Peristyle: A colonnaded garden or courtyard with columns around the perimeter.
3. Mosaics and Frescoes: Intricate tile and painting designs throughout the palace.
4. Domus Aurea: Rooms with rich decorations like gold leaf, frescoes, and mosaic floors.
5. Hypocaust System: A heating system that circulated warm air through pipes underneath the floors.
6. Arcades: Covered walkways supported by arches that led to different rooms.
7. Vaulted Ceilings: Ceilings that used arches or vaults to distribute weight and create a stunning visual effect.
8. Marble: The use of marble was prominent in columns, floors, and walls throughout the palace.
9. Bathhouses: Elaborate bath complexes were common in Roman palaces, with separate rooms for hot and cold baths, steam rooms, and massage rooms.
10. Symmetry: Roman palaces were designed with a focus on symmetry, with rooms and hallways arranged in mirror image pairs.
Publication date: