#Domus romana how to
#Domus romana trial

40 BC Diodorus described the wealth of the island and its inhabitants (V.12.1вЂ“3): he refers to eponymous towns on each of the islands and singled out for particular praise the number and excellence of the harbours, as well as the skill of its artisans вЂ“ in particular the textile workers and the opulence of the houses.

The fullest description of Roman Malta was written by the Sicilian Greek historian Diodorus Siculus.

#Domus romana trial

After this brief interlude Malta disappears from the broader panoply of Roman history appearing only occasionally in reference to the trial of Verres, the shipwreck of St Paul, a breed of small dog that was unique to the island and the quality of its textiles. Thirty-seven years later during the war with Hannibal, the Roman General Tiberius Sempronius Longus annexed the islands in preparation for his abortive assault on Carthage. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Domus Romana, Mdina.The islands of Malta and Gozo first enter Roman history in 256 BC when a Roman army returning from Africa raided the island. The displays of the museum were renovated between 20, and again in 2011.

#Domus romana how to

Currently, Heritage Malta is carrying out a report on how to conserve the mosaic and repair it with as little damage as possible. The mosaic of the peristyle was restored in the second half of the 20th century, but was unintentionally damaged in the process. The museum closed during World War II, and it housed a restoration centre before reopening to the public in 1945. The remains of the domus were included on the Antiquities List of 1925. In 1922, the museum was enlarged to designs by the architect Galizia, and a neoclassical faГ§ade and a large display room were added. Eventually, many Roman artifacts found elsewhere in Malta were transferred to this museum. The museum was originally known as the Museum of Roman Antiquities, and apart from the mosaics and other Roman or Muslim artifacts uncovered from the domus, it also exhibited some other Roman marble pieces which were found in the streets of Mdina. The museum opened in February 1882, and it was the first building in Malta that was constructed specifically to house a museum of a particular archaeological site. Muslim cemetery ДЄfter the domus was first excavated, a museum was built on the site of the peristyle of the house in order to preserve its mosaics. A number of 1st century AD statues of the imperial Roman family, along with coins, glassware, tableware, bath accessories, amphorae and other fine artifacts have also been found in the domus. The domus also shows fine painted wall plaster imitating coloured marbles and showing partly stylized architectural elements which would place them somewhere between the 1st and 2nd Pompeian Styles.ДЄlthough the house was mostly destroyed over time, its mosaics have survived largely intact, and they are comparable with those found at Pompeii or Sicily. The picture sought to imitate a highly popular motif which may be first painted by an artist from Sophos. Two types of tesserae were employed: opus vermiculatum, in the centre of the pavement opus tessellatum, larger tesserae to create three-dimensional designs all around the main image. The house had a colonnaded peristyle inspired by ancient Greek architecture, and its best features are the well-made polychrome Hellenistic style mosaics found in the peristyle and the surrounding rooms, which show decorative motifs or mythological scenes. The Domvs Romana is believed to have been built in the beginning of the 1st century BC, and it remained in use until the 2nd century AD. It was erroneously called the Roman Villa when rediscovered as it was thought to be outside the city of Melite but on further examinations it was clarified to be within city limits. Since 1882, the site has been open to the public as a museum, which is currently run by Heritage Malta. The site was discovered in 1881, and archaeological excavations revealed several well preserved Roman mosaics, statues and other artifacts, as well as a number of tombstones and other remains from the cemetery. In the 11th century, a Muslim cemetery was established on the remains of the domus. It was built in the 1st century BC as an aristocratic town house ( domus) within the Roman city of Melite. The Domus Romana ( Latin for ' Roman House'), stylized as the Domvs Romana (after Latin's lack of distinction between u and v), is a ruined Roman-era house located on the boundary between Mdina and Rabat, Malta.