“I trust you don’t mind the mess. Master Fabius says
that it’s crazy for a farm in the country to pretend to be
a prince’s palace, so there are lots of wicker stools and
couches for you to sit on, but no silk cushions, I’m afraid.

“Yes, that is a real live peacock over there. Master Fabius
acquired it last year on one of his visits to Syria. You know
of course that he exercises the function of Prefect in
Seleucia Pieria.

“He acquired this farm very recently, which is why we
don’t have that many animals here. Only a few goats.
Besides, the work centres primarily on growing barley.
This being the Ager Reatinus, we lack nothing in the way
of water, and the estate includes a pond fed by the Velinus.
Would you like to visit the property ? Follow me. The fields
are down this way.

Background “autumn” by Eos Development. Wagon and rear farmyard at Queen Marie-Antoinette’s farmstead, Château de Versailles (France). Photographs copyright 2009 Mauricius Fabius. Property icon adapted from an original drawing in Helen and Richard Leacroft’s book The Buildings of Ancient Rome, Brockhampton Press, 1969, copyright R. Leacroft. Image used with permission.