School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses

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Romans, Religion, and Residences. Investigating the relationship of domestic cult spaces and Roman homes throughout Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the Iberian Peninsula.

Cooper, Robyn Margaret ( 2023-03)

Using domestic cult spaces as a source material, this project explores how the nature of space within Roman residences interacted with and influenced on the expression of religious beliefs. As domestic cult spaces acted as ritual centres, they can reveal much about how a household’s beliefs interacted with the wider domestic sphere. Using domestic cult spaces from Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the Iberian Peninsula, over 800 cult spaces were compiled into a database and analysed both spatially and statistically. Several methods were employed, such as space syntax, with a focus on location, function, decoration, accessibility, and visibility. This project produced several significant results, with the aim of increasing our understanding of the interaction between religious and domestic space in Roman residences as well as providing new insights into Roman domestic religion as a whole.