Residential Architecture

The interior of one of the wealthy Roman-period residences in Ephesus known as the Terrace Houses. The floor is covered with mosaics, the lower parts of the walls are adorned with marble slabs, and the upper parts are decorated with wall paintings in the fresco technique. In the central courtyard, there is evidence of a small water pool (impluvium) or fountain structure.

Small-scale structures in Ephesus, such as houses and shops, were typically constructed from stone and brick, covered with wooden roofs, and tiled. The walls were finished with a special stucco plaster and then decoratively painted with vibrant frescoes or given a marble appearance. The floors of the Terrace Houses, which belonged to particularly wealthy families, were paved with colorful mosaics, and their walls were covered with real marble slabs up to a certain height. It is understood that these houses featured fresco decorations depicting mythological scenes, as well as small niches and even ornamental fountains in the interior. The Terrace Houses in Ephesus, which are open to visitors today, continue to reveal these rich details of ancient residential architecture.