Palaces of Ancient Rome

• The Roman Emperors all lived in Palaces on the Palatine Hill in Rome.
• The word Palace is from the Latin ‘Palatium’, meaning Palatine Hill, but which came to mean the Residence of the Emperor instead of the hill.

The Palaces

1. Palace of Augustus
   • The Palace of Augustus is a modern term for the Domus Augusti or House of Augustus which is considered to have been the main place of residence of Augustus in Rome.
   • It was located on the Palatine Hill, Via dei Cerchi. It is not to be confused with the Domus Augustana which is the name for the adjacent Palace of Domitian.
2. Palace of Tiberius
   • The Palace of Tiberius on the Palatine Hill was known as the House of Tiberius and was his place of residence whilst in Rome.
   • It was incorporated into Nero‘s Domus Transitoria which burnt down in the Great Fire of Rome (64 CE). Its remains lie under the Farnese Gardens.
3. Domus Aurea
   • ‘The Golden Villa’ was Nero’s Palace which he had built after the Great Fire of Rome (64 CE).
4. Palace of Domitian
   • The Palace of Domitian, also known as the Domus Flavia or the Flavian Palace, was completed by Domitian in 92 CE,
   • It was a massive complex that dominated the Palatine Hill in Rome.
   • All Roman Emperors then used it as there main Place of Residence.
5. Palace of Septimius Severus
   • The Domus Severiana was located on the Palatine with the other Palaces overlooking the Circus Maximus.
6. Lateran Palace
   • The Domus Faustae was acquired by Constantine I, and the Palace Basilica was given to the Bishop of Rome and became the Cathedral of Rome, the residence of the Popes until 1309 CE.
   • It is located next to the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
7. Atrium Vestae
   • The Atrium Vestae was the ‘House of the Vestals’, a 50 room Palace where the Vestal Virgins lived.
   • In front of it was the Temple of Vesta where they kept the sacred fire dedicated to Vesta.

Imperial Roman Villas near Rome

1. Hadrian's Villa
   • Tivoli. c.125 CE (18 miles or 29 km from Rome).
2. Villa of the Quintilii
   • Located 5 miles (8km) outside of Rome along the Via Appia.

The Roman Emperor’s Palaces outside of Rome

1. Diocletian's Palace
   • Split, Croatia (Salona, Dalmatia) (305 CE)
2. Villa Jovis
   • Jupiter’s Villa was Tiberius’ Palace at Capri.
3. Baiae
   • Naples was the location of Imperial holiday Villas.
4. Villa Poppaea
   • At Oplontis near Pompeii and thought to be the villa of Nero.

Palace of Domitian, Rome