You see the summer dining room of Cornelia and Paullus. The name triclinium refers to the three couches in a typical Roman dining room, each of which held three reclining diners. Here angled stone benches replace the couches; these would be covered with soft cushions, and the guests would eat from plates on the ledge in front. While nibbling their food, Cornelia's guests could also enjoy the cooling murmur of the water cascading down the stepped fountain in the center of the room.
To find out more about the dining arrangements of wealthy Romans, read Pedar Foss's " Age, Gender, and Status Divisions at Mealtimes in the Roman House," complete with a diagram of a typical seating plan for the three couches.
Peristylium