Insula dell’Ara Coeli

Over there, on your left, you’ll see the remnants of the only surviving Roman insula. Insula is Latin for “island,” and it’s the forerunner of today’s apartment buildings. With the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Empire came a population explosion, leading to a serious housing crisis. And thus was born the idea of high-rise housing blocks. Insulas are thought to have been 4 or 5 storeys high, and could accommodate up to 380 people. They were originally built of wood and rammed earth, and were later made more solid with bricks. The remains before you date back to the 2nd century. What you’re seeing is actually the first floor of the building, which was home to a number of stores. The apartments were on the upper floors, accessible via staircases. Archaeological findings reveal that the lower floors were reserved for the wealthier members of society, while the somewhat smaller, more cramped upper floors were meant for the plebs, the lowest social class in Rome, as opposed to the patricians, the founding fathers of the elite of Roman society. In the Middle Ages, the site was home to a church. It was demolished in 1930, which is when the remains of the insula were discovered. You can still admire, however, a beautiful 14th-century fresco – the only remaining trace of the San Biagio church.