Coverings and Comforts of the Dwellings of Rome

And it came to pass in the days of the Caesars, that the children of Rome built for themselves houses of stone and brick, and adorned them with marble and mosaic. The rich made their dwelling places upon the hills, in villas wide and pleasant, and the poor dwelt in the midst of the city, in tall insulae, stacked as the cages of birds.

The sun did rise and fall upon the seven hills, and the seasons brought both heat and cold; and the people sought coverings for their homes, that they might find rest therein from the burdens of the day.

Of the Matter of Warmth and Protection

Now the Romans were a prudent people, and wise in the matter of construction. They laid walls of great thickness, of concrete and stone, to keep the cold of winter without, and the heat of summer at bay.

They knew not fiberglass nor the foam of the modern age, yet they labored with clay and lime, and filled their spaces with rubble and earth, which served to muffle both the sound and the chill.

And the roofs were covered with tiles of terracotta, hardened in fire, laid upon wooden rafters. And the ceilings were oft of timber, and the floors were raised above the ground, that the air might pass beneath.

Of the Heated Floors and the Wisdom Therein

In the houses of the mighty, they made a marvel called the hypocaust. Behold, they kindled fire in the chamber beneath, and the heat passed through hollow spaces and clay pipes, warming the floor above. And thus their baths were heated, and their chambers filled with gentle warmth, even in the days of frost.

And they hung tapestries upon the walls, and draperies upon the doorways, that the air might be stilled within and the comfort preserved.

Of the Simplicity of the Poor

But the poor had not such luxuries. They built their shelters with thin walls and open windows, and oft did they suffer the winds of winter and the blaze of summer. They warmed themselves by braziers of coal, though many perished thereby from smoke and flame.

Yet even in their poverty, they covered the floor with straw and cloth, and made use of shutters, to guard against the night.

Let This Be a Lesson to the Generations

O ye who dwell in houses made with hands, consider the labors of those who came before. For though they knew not the science of the latter days, they walked in the wisdom of observation and craft.

And it is written:
"Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established." (Proverbs 24:3)

Therefore give thanks for shelter, and be diligent in preserving warmth for the weary and rest for the soul.