Wohnkultur im spätantiken Ostia

Abstract

Between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, the Roman Empire changed in many respects, but the core of the social order remained the same. The residential culture of the elites of the time provides insights into the relationship between continuity and transformation. To what extent did the residential neighbourhoods of the ancient cities change? Did the habits of residents and guests change, or did the taste of the owners change? These and other questions are discussed in detail using the example of a group of particularly well-preserved houses in the Roman harbour city of Ostia. The study clearly shows how the living culture of the Roman upper classes gradually changed in the interplay between supra-regional and local developments, tradition and innovation.