Ancient Rome was a bustling city with different types of homes for the wealthy and the poor. The rich Romans lived in big, fancy houses called domus. These houses were made of marble and had beautiful statues and mosaics. They had a central courtyard called an atrium, where they would gather and socialize. The wealthy Romans had slaves who would cook and clean for them. They even had their own beds and luxurious furniture. It must have been very nice to live in a domus!

On the other hand, the poor Romans lived in small apartments called insulae. These apartments were very crowded and often had six to eight floors. The ground floors were used for shops, and the upper floors were where people lived. The insulae were made of wood and mud brick, so they were not very sturdy. They were also very dirty and noisy. The poor Romans did not have running water or toilets in their homes. Can you imagine living in such a small and uncomfortable place?

Even though the rich and the poor Romans had different homes, they all followed the same mealtime rituals. They would have light meals for breakfast and lunch, often eaten with friends in noisy cafes. But dinner was a special time for everyone.