Julia Casca

Melvadius, thank you again. The picture is clearing up a bit. So, I see slaves filling utility buckets from the puteal at the head of the impluvium to do chores. This would be a daily occurance or a daily chore to fill some resevoir forlater use. The impluvium would not be suitable for fish or plants? However, the Getty Villa in Malibu, a replica of the one in Herculaneum,. has an impluvium for eels. And the swimming pool was possibly an exposed cistern from which to draw. Making sense? There were older impluviums in early villas that were walled up as much as three feet cornered with columns to support the roof I'm sure. Would these imluviums hold much more water than the later counterparts. Ie House of Faun in Pompeii? Why I am asking about all this is because I write in this period and frankly have no clue how to use impluviums and cisterns in my stories. They are of practical use as most things Roman but in someways I see them as ornamental due to the fact I don't totally understand how they function. Your information is gold to me. Thank you JC

Melvidius, thank you. Milie gratis, You answer helps a great deal. However, I'm still not clear on how it works. So, here goes. A slave needs to wash the floor. She draws the water up through the well hole (can't remember the term for this) I'm assuming that is the 'half column' that is next to the impluvium. But that bugger looks small for buckets. But I can see how it would work. I presumed that was maybe an air shaft for gravity. Now the impluvium....it contained water as well. It drained into the cistern? It's water was used for cleaning etc? It was filled by labor/slaves or indicated the level of the water in the cistern? Was it separate from the cistern? Now I understand the location of cisterns being under the atrium. Most of the older houses in Pompeii worked from cisterns until the aqueduct brough in water as you said. I also wondered about if they had a siphon pump abilities and did these feed fountains? Of course they didn't have a spraying fountain but a lovely drizzle that filled a small pond from which the slaves could draw water. Thank you for your time. It is appreciated. J

I can't wait to go see this movie. IT'S ROMAN!!!! J

I'm impressed!!!!! What a great resource. Thank you all for this.

well, I dunno about all this but the Romans did love their baths/thermae. A Roman once said that what is better than going once to a thermae is to go twice. They loved it. And it wasn't that far removed from todays pleasures. Let's see, one would enter this beloved building after working out in the gynnasium all sweaty and dirty (women too if available) and would be disrobed. They enter the sweat room to open pores, step out and have a slave sponge them down, removing dirt and sweat. Then to the caldarium where one slips into shoes to keep from burning feet and sweats more,then rinsed again and into the hot water for a grand soak. OUt of there into the frigidiarium to close pores and then to the waiting tepid waters of the tepidiarium to mingle with the other folk lounging there. Some places it was co-ed but usually women were granted the morning shift, men the afternoon shift and the poor whatever time was left over before cleaning the pools with vinegar is my bet. Now once in the elegant tepidarium (Trier) one could have a private massage with a happy ending of course, or a simple massage where one's hair was washed with imported shampoo from Egypt that was made down the street. Hands were manacured with nails clipped and trimmed.Calouses were removed with pumic along with defoleating skin and hair that wasn't waxed. I believe they waxed hair rather than plucking it, exception stray hairs and eyebrows. The hair is rinsed with a compatible or matching fregrant rinse that blends nicely with the massage oil. Facials were also administered, both refreshing and medicinal. One could treat acne, oily skin or dry as needed. Bruises could be sucked away by leeches. Once one was so refreshed, one could peruse the boutiques and venders for new makeups, wigs, sandals made also down the street, or one could munch on tidbits offered by another vendor or one could simply enter the library for a pleasant read or reading. Never forget the stroll through the relaxing garden area nearby. And one paid through the nose for this delight so only the rich enjoyed this experience or the thermae had exclusive memberships as Balbus's thermae in Herculaneum. So did they stink, sure of garlic and sweat but what a wonderful way to get rid of it.

Viggen...please put my name in the pot for this awesome book. Please and thank you. J

This is so awesome. So yes, please enter me in the drawing ROME: CAPUT MUNDI Capitol of the World by Peter Melaragno. I'm holding my breath and fingers crossed. J

Salute Cednturio Macro I am excited to be a part of UNRV but am struggling to get around a bit on the site and adding friends. I hope many tag me so I can get a better feel for who's out there. I love ancient Rome and write in the first century Roman Britain. So with that said...I have lots to learn J

Good morning yourself and welcome Well, I'm new and very lost on the site but am happy to be a part of this community. Now to keep up with everyone and get to know you. J

Ghosts of Vesuvius...well, I've read most of it and was very impressed with the detail and information Mr Pellegrino shared in his book. It gets veryyyy detailed on aspects of creation but once into the eruption, wow. The book is tremendous. If you are intersted in science, humanity and an armchair volcanologist you'll love this book. J