DOI article:
Kowalski, Sławomir P.: The praetorium of the camp of Diocletian on Palmyra
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26419#0082
54 Sławomir P. Kowalski - The Praetorium of the Camp of Diocletian in Paknyra
from outside through the additional door or from the domestic section through room A8 and under the
stairs. Thus, the proprietor could always appear in the triclinium quickly and unexpectedly.
South of recess A4 there was a small staircase. It was accessible, however, only from the rear court
AIO.
THE WESTERN WING
The western wing was constituted by 4 rooms, two of which were accessible from the peristyle, i.e.
A5 and A6. The latter formed a small corridor providing access to rooms A5 and A7 as well as
communication between the residential section and the rear court. The northernmost room of the wing,
i.e. A11 could be entered only from A7. It is difficult to determine the original function of those rooms
as the only small find from there dates to the last phase of occupation.
It is sure that all the rooms of the wing were paved with limestone slabs though in some places the
pavement had not been preserved.
A5 was a small square room (only 8 m 2) open both to the peristyle and to the corridor A6. Therefore,
I think that it might have been a study. I imagine that a commander of the legion needed a room like
that and I believe it was the most suitable room for that purpose. It was easily accessible both from the
receptional section and from the private one.
The communication system might also suggest the function of rooms A7 and All. The two rooms
were accessible only from the corridor A6 and no one could look inside the rooms from the peristyle.
Thus, they formed a strictly private part of the house. Therefore, I believe that the two rooms were
devoted to the women of the family (yvmiKwrlnç), A7 as a living room for the winter time and A11
as OâXajioç or cubicuium.
UPPER STOREY
There probably was an upper storey over the residential section as was suggested by the existence of
a staircase (south of A4). It seems that there were no more stairs in the house, which means that the
upper storey could be reached only from the rear court AIO. That would suggest a strictly private
character of that storey. I believe that the rooms upstairs served as bedrooms.
C. DOMESTIC SECTION
The domestic section of the house was formed by rear court AIO and rooms attached to it in the south
and in the west. Unfortunately, during the excavations it was impossible to determine the original
from outside through the additional door or from the domestic section through room A8 and under the
stairs. Thus, the proprietor could always appear in the triclinium quickly and unexpectedly.
South of recess A4 there was a small staircase. It was accessible, however, only from the rear court
AIO.
THE WESTERN WING
The western wing was constituted by 4 rooms, two of which were accessible from the peristyle, i.e.
A5 and A6. The latter formed a small corridor providing access to rooms A5 and A7 as well as
communication between the residential section and the rear court. The northernmost room of the wing,
i.e. A11 could be entered only from A7. It is difficult to determine the original function of those rooms
as the only small find from there dates to the last phase of occupation.
It is sure that all the rooms of the wing were paved with limestone slabs though in some places the
pavement had not been preserved.
A5 was a small square room (only 8 m 2) open both to the peristyle and to the corridor A6. Therefore,
I think that it might have been a study. I imagine that a commander of the legion needed a room like
that and I believe it was the most suitable room for that purpose. It was easily accessible both from the
receptional section and from the private one.
The communication system might also suggest the function of rooms A7 and All. The two rooms
were accessible only from the corridor A6 and no one could look inside the rooms from the peristyle.
Thus, they formed a strictly private part of the house. Therefore, I believe that the two rooms were
devoted to the women of the family (yvmiKwrlnç), A7 as a living room for the winter time and A11
as OâXajioç or cubicuium.
UPPER STOREY
There probably was an upper storey over the residential section as was suggested by the existence of
a staircase (south of A4). It seems that there were no more stairs in the house, which means that the
upper storey could be reached only from the rear court AIO. That would suggest a strictly private
character of that storey. I believe that the rooms upstairs served as bedrooms.
C. DOMESTIC SECTION
The domestic section of the house was formed by rear court AIO and rooms attached to it in the south
and in the west. Unfortunately, during the excavations it was impossible to determine the original