Glossary of Pompeii terms

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Glossary of Pompeii terms

Pompeii Glossary.

Aedicula / aediculae – Shrine or small temple.
Aedile – Magistrate who dealt with public services. Elected annually.
Amphora / amphorae – Large earthenware jars used mainly for storing liquids.
Apodyterium – Changing room in the baths.
Archaic – Ancient style, usually of the prehistoric period.
Atrium / atria – Large partially roofed reception space in a Roman house off which rooms were arranged.
Basilica – Hall used as law court or place of assembly. Usually divided by columns into a central nave with side aisles.
Caldarium – Hot rooms in a baths.
Capitoline Triad – Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Worshipped as a trinity in the main temple in the forum.
Cisium / cisii– Two wheeled cart.
Compluvium / compluvii – Opening in atrium roof to allow air and light into the house as well as rainwater to fill the impluvium pool.
Cryptoporticus – Corridor or arcade below, or semi-below, ground level.
Cubiculim / cubiculae – Bedroom in a house.
Culina – Kitchen in a house.
Decurio / decuriones – Officials in charge of Pompeii. Not elected.
Duumvir / duoviri – Two chief officials in Pompeii.
Fauces – Entrance passage to a house.
Fiorelli, Guiseppe – Director of excavations 1860
Fistula / fistulae – Lead pipe connecting a house to the water mains.
Fullonica / fullonicae – Laundry.
Hortus / horti – Ornamental gardens.
Hypocaust – Underfloor heating system.
Impluvium – Basin for collecting rainwater in the atrium. Located directly beneath compluvium.
Insula / insulae – A city block.
Iseum – Temple of Isis.
Italic – Native to Italy.
Lar / lares – Household god protecting individual families.
Lararium / lararii – Shrine of the Lares found in houses.
Natatio – Swimming pool in a baths, or in the Large Palaestra.
Necropolis / Necropoli – Cemetery outside the city walls.
Odeon – Covered theatre.
Ordo decurionum – The town council.
Palaestra / palaestrae – Exercise and athletic area, usually surrounded by portico.
Peristyle – Colonnade with portico. Enclose a garden in houses.
Popina / popinae – Snack bar.
Portico – A colonnade.
Praefurnium – Furnace and heating area in a bath.
Region (Regio / regiones) – One of 9 areas into which Pompeii was divided by Fiorelli.
Tablinum – Room between atrium and peristyle that served as a study/ office.
Tepidarium – Warm rooms in a baths.
Thermopolium / thermopolia– Hot food shop.
Triclinium / triclinia – Dinning room in a house.

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