The Roman Invention of Luxury
The ingenious Roman invention that sparked the ancient empire’s obsession with luxury was the hypocaust, a system of underfloor heating.
Beneath the mosaic floors of Roman villas, this system transformed warmth into a mark of power.
When considering Roman engineering, people often think of grand feats such as aqueducts, amphitheatres, and paved roads.
However, the hypocaust remains a recognizable feature of Roman domestic life, with archaeologists pointing to the distinctive stacks of bricks beneath villa floors as a mark of Roman sophistication.
“The hypocaust system is really important for us to think about when we consider Roman homes,”
explains Dr Hannah Platts on the HistoryExtra podcast.
Author's summary: Romans invented hypocaust heating.
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