0 strti. 5,000 strti.

Salve. Welcome to the Domus Fabia. Master Mauricius is in. Pray enter, I will inform him at once of your visit. People have said that the Master is never at home. It isn’t true, of course, people just call at the wrong hours. He does go to the baths every afternoon. Another favourite haunt is the Porticus Argonautarum in the Campus Martius. There are so many statues from so many different places that it’s like touring the world without leaving Rome. He sees a lot of people there, not only idlers but also artists looking for work, and of course friends and clientes. Every year he travels to the Province of Syria, to the city of Seleucia Pieria where development projects and court duties require his attention. The Emperor has based his Eastern Fleet there. All the marines feel at home in the city, and the Master works to keep social cohesion a top priority of his administration. During the summer, in the mensis Quintilis especially, he likes to spend a few days in Reate. There is a Cascata and park there of which he is particularly fond. He thinks the Senate ought to proclaim the whole region a Wonder of the World. I just hope he doesn’t decide to sell this house and move out there permanently. Live amongst peasants all day ? The gods preserve us from such a fate ! Please make yourself comfortable, the Master will be with you in a moment. A slave has already brought refreshments to the atrium.

Credits : page background and masthead adapted from D. Gurrea’s texture images ; Hercules sculpture (detail) from a visitor to the Archaeology Museum in Antalya ; table frame ‘Directions’ and ‘nestegg’ background from Eos web images ; bird fresco is a detail from the Villa Oplonti, Pompeii ; caryatid from the Château de Mouchy le Chatel (France) ; janitor from Rome Total War game forum ; Porticus Argonautarum and ‘Visit Syria‘ poster by M. Fabius Furius ; boy slave from Anna Hippon’s Avatars.