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VILLA ADRIANA by MARINA DE FRANCESCHINI

HOSPITALIA



Building for praetorians or high ranking personnel, with magnificent mosaics

©MarinaDeFranceschini - Progetto Accademia

n. 16 - HOSPITALIA
Description
The rooms were all paved in black and white mosaic except for some secondary rooms which had opus spicatum.
Here are some of the most famous examples of mosaics with arabesque floral motifs, typical of the 2nd century AD.

HOSPITALIA sacello 2 con muro.png

Hall HS2 of the Hospitalia

The Hospitalia have a large central corridor HS1 at the end of which a large hall HS2 opens. Since it has a base for a statue, probably was a sacellum dedicated to the cult of some divinity.
The niches that can be seen on the back wall of room HS2 are built in opus incertum, and belong to the ancient republican villa later incorporated into the imperial buildings.

Ten T-shaped rooms opened onto the central corridor HS1, five on each side HS 4-8 and HS 17-21. Their particular shape is due to three alcoves in which the beds were placed: therefore they served as cubicles.

Their black and white mosaic pavements have a square central field with a more refined decoration, arabesques and floral motifs. The three rectangles corresponding to the alcoves have simpler geometric designs, given that they were partly hidden by the beds.

HOSPITALIA mosaico.png

Mosaic with three alcoves in a cubiculum of the Hospitalia

In rooms HS15 and HS24 there were two multi-seat latrines. Near room HS22 a staircase HS1a went up to the upper floor of the building, which does not exist any more.
The staircase of room HS25 led instead to the upper floors of the Greek and Latin libraries.

Function and meaning
The ten cubicles with alcoves for the beds and latrines show that this building was a dormitory, while the nearby Imperial Triclinium was the living area.

The black and white mosaics, the multiple latrines and the secluded position prove that the building belonged to the secondary quarters of the Villa, intended for high-ranking personnel such as praetorians or freedmen.

SEE: Marina De Franceschini, Villa Adriana. Mosaici, pavimenti, edifici, 1991, Hospitalia pp. 33-54 e 358-366. Hospitalia and Imperial Triclinium as a whole: pp. 374-376. 


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