One of the greatest benefits of studying the ancient Greek and Roman past is the ability to utilise different forms of evidence, in particular both written and archaeological sources. The contributors to this volume employ this evidence to examine ancient housing, and what might be learned of identities, families, and societies, but they also use it as a methodological locus from which to interrogate the complex relationship between different types of sources. Chapters range from the recreation of the house as it was conceived in Homeric poetry, to the decipherment of a painted Greek lekythos to build up a picture of household activities, to the conjuring of the sensorial experience of a house in Pompeii. Together, they present a rich tapestry which demonstrates what can be gained for our understanding of ancient housing from examining the interplay between the words of ancient texts and the walls of archaeological evidence.

‘The volume will be mostly appreciated by researchers seeking to better understand the methodological and textual orientations towards housing in Classical archaeology.’

Michael Eisenberg Source: Scripta Classica Israelica

‘Scholars of domestic architecture, family, religion, and everyday life will find important insights … especially related to … methodological challenges in domestic archaeology.’

Mattias Brand Source: Bibliotheca Orientalis

‘… the contributions to the volume all show in different ways how fruitful it can be to move beyond debates about terminology and use the full potential of both written and material evidence to illuminate the rich diversity of houses and households across the ancient world.’

Ruth Westgate Source: Bryn Mawr Classical Review