Domus Publica, Residential complex on Sacra Via, Rome, Italy.
Domus Publica is a residential complex on Sacra Via with multiple rooms arranged around a central courtyard. An atrium with a water collection system and shops facing the street formed the basic structure of the building.
Augustus moved the residence of the chief priest to Palatine Hill in 12 BCE and transferred this building to the Vestal Virgins. The structure shifted from a private home to a sacred sanctuary.
The residence housed the chief priest of Roman state religion, linking religious authority directly to daily life within the home. The layout of the rooms reflected the high social standing of those who lived there.
Access from the Forum ran through a vestibule between two shops directly to the main building. Visitors should note the remains of the Republican-period western wall that marks the boundary with the neighboring Atrium Vestae.
The ancient western wall from the Republican period still stands today and clearly separates this location from the neighboring Atrium Vestae. This visible boundary line is a rare witness to ancient neighborhood relationships in the Forum.
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