Domus del Lararium

The Domus del Lararium is a Roman residence discovered beneath buildings near Piazza del Comune in Assisi. Its thirteen rooms preserve mosaics and painted wall plaster, including remains that rise more than four metres above the ancient floor level.

Why it matters

The house was built between the second half of the first century BC and the early first century AD. Its exceptional preservation adds a residential dimension to the Roman remains of Assisi, which also include public buildings and the forum.

What to notice

The plan includes an atrium and a peristyle with three brick columns. A triclinium has a mosaic made from coloured limestone tesserae. The frescoed walls preserve painted architectural divisions and panels. A terracotta statuette of Silvanus was found in the household shrine, or lararium, from which the house takes its name.

Context and history

The house was discovered in 2001 during work following the 1997 earthquake. Its masonry records at least two building phases. After antiquity, later construction covered the Roman remains, contributing to their preservation beneath the modern city. The domus forms part of Assisi's Roman archaeological circuit.