The Domus Flavia was located on the Palatine Hill near the Baths of Septimus Severus. It was far enough down the hill though to escape the demolition done by the Emperors when they were building their palaces. The Palatine is the place where wealthy Romans retreat to relax and enjoy themselves. The Domus Flavia was huge. It cost Fabricius a large sum for it's upkeep. It was fully staffed with slaves and everything else that was needed to keep the villa in good working order.

The Villa Flavia was actually two villas made into one. Years before Fabricius' grandfather had purchased the adjoining villa from a destitute family. He had removed the wall separating the two villas thus making the villa Flavia occupy a huge area. The villa was then redecorated in marble from different parts of the empire and was one of the most beautiful in Rome. The family over the years had decorated it with Greek statues, beautiful fountains, thick rugs and vases from the east, trees and plants imported from all areas. There was enough room for the family slaves, servants, and guards to have their own quarters in the villa leaving the cellars for storage and workshops. Also his freedmen had the use of four tabernas to ply their trades thus giving the family household account a steady stream of income.

The Flavia had a lot of the family money invested with the professional bankers, the "Argentarii". Also some funds were invested with bankers who routinely loaned money at interest. These men were called "Feneratores". Feneratores loaned out their own money and others', the risks being carried by the suppliers of the cash; argentarii, by contrast, loaned out their own money and others', but carried the risk themselves, because they were essentially deposit banks. Unknown to the Emperor or the tax collectors the bulk of the family fortune was concealed in a very secret hiding place.

When the current master of the house wanted to get to his treasury he would take a small thin hook from around his neck. Walk to the corner of the room by the head of his bed and insert the hook into the small crack at the bottom of the wall and pull out a wire. Gently pulling on the wire a secret door in the tile floor opened. One could then light a torch from the blazer open the door and go down into the darkness. The door was then closed and then one proceeded down the broad passageway to the treasury.