The Standard Houses are the oldest medianum-apartments in Ostia, from the early Trajanic period (opus mixtum). On the ground floor four apartments can be recognized, in two blocks completely surrounded by streets. Only the streets to the north, east and between the two blocks were paved with basalt blocks. In the center of each set of apartments was an external, wooden staircase, leading to further apartments on the first upper floor.
Each "room in the middle", medianum, is flanked by two representative rooms. On one long side are two small rooms, presumably bedrooms. On the opposite side is the facade, presumably pierced by windows, which have not been preserved however. Each apartment had a kitchen and a latrine, marked L on the plan.
Rather unexpectedly the lay-out of the four apartments is not completely identical. For example, three apartments have a door leading directly to the medianum, but in the south-eastern one it is absent. The latter apartment also has a door leading to a corridor next to the latrine. In the two eastern apartments the medianum is on a different side.
There are a few scant remains of paintings and black-and-white mosaics.
Plan of the houses. After SO I.
Photos
The houses seen from the south (the trees are along Via della Foce).
Photo: Klaus Heese.
The houses seen from the east.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.
The road between the west (left) and east half, seen from the south.
Photo: Daniel González Acuña.
The interior of an apartment.
Photo: Daniel González Acuña.
A staircase and below that the remains of a latrine.
Photo: Daniel González Acuña.
Detail of the latrine.
Photo: Daniel González Acuña.
