House R2 (Tang R2)

Name of Building

House R2 (Tang R2)

Town or City, Country where the building was originally established

Empúries (L’Escala), Catalonia, Spain

Date the building was designed and/or first built

First phase: 1st quarter of the 1st century BC (begun)

Second phase: 2nd third of the 1st century BC (expansion)

Third phase: 1st century AD (peristyle addition)

Fourth phase: Late 1st – early 2nd century AD (eastern reworking)

Name of Architect, Builder, or Primary Patron Responsible

Unknown

Culturally Specific Time Period

Roman Republic

Early Roman Empire (1st c. BC – 2nd c. AD)

Geo-Location

Latitude: 42.1307° N
Longitude: 3.1185° E

Materials

Stone masonry

Stucco

Marble architectural elements

Mortar

Painted plaster

Tile roofing

Size and/or Scale of Building

Large elite Roman domus with multiple construction phases;

Two horti

Two peristyle gardens

Extended eastern wings. Approx. 400 m² main peristyle garden in Phase 2

Architectural Type

Garden

Formal Style

Roman domus with atrium(s) and peristyles

Domestic / Elite residential

Building Description

House R2 (Tang R2) is an elite Roman domus in the Roman City of Emporiae, located near the forum. The building shows four major construction phases, which can be clearly understood through its plan and surviving architectural features. By comparing the archaeological drawings with the 3D reconstructions and excavation photographs, the transformation from two smaller atrium houses into one large, luxurious residence becomes visible.

In the earliest phase (early 1st century BC), the property consisted of two separate houses, each with a central atrium opening to the western cardo and a simple rear garden (hortus). The layout at this stage is compact and symmetrical, following the typical Italic atrium-house model. In the second phase, one house (R2A) expanded dramatically by consuming both original gardens, extending eastward beyond the city wall, and adding a spacious 400 m² peristyle garden surrounded by porticoes. The rooms along this garden show a shift toward openness, natural light, and elite display culture.

The later phases reveal further architectural refinement. The former hortus of the second house (R2B) was converted into another peristyle garden (35a) with porticoes on three sides and a curved wall with window openings toward the garden, an unusual and elegant feature visible in Tang’s reconstruction. The addition of a bath suite on the west and a monumental eastern hall (room 46) in the final phase demonstrates increasing wealth and a move toward villa-like comfort. The plans show extended porticoes forming wind protection, and the small painted altar with a serpent and cock suggests domestic cult activity tied to the garden spaces.

From visual study of the plans, images, and garden reconstructions, House R2 can be understood as a residence that gradually evolved into a highly designed architectural environment where gardens, porticoes, and interior suites were integrated into a unified elite lifestyle.

Image source

Adapted images and plans from Mar and Ruiz de Arbulo, Ampurias Romana (1993).

Adapted from Tang, Delos, Carthage, Ampurias (2005

Creative Commons or other copyright information

Image 1: Creative Commons

Student First and Last Name

Mursal Abdullah

Bibliographic references for the item

Tang, B. Delos, Carthage, Ampurias: The Housing of Three Mediterranean Trading Centers. Bretschneider, Rome, 2005.

Ripio Perelló, E. Ampurias: Itinerary-Guide. Instituto de Prehistoria y Arqueología, Barcelona, 1972.

Mar, R., and J. Ruíz de Arbulo. Ampurias Romana. Editorial Ausa, Sabadell, 1993.

Balil Iliana, A. "Casa y urbanismo en la España antigua. Casa familiar y vivienda colectiva en la España romana." Boletín del Seminario de Estudios de Arte y Arqueología XXXVIII, 1973, 101–102.

Aquilué, X., and J. Ruíz de Arbulo. La jardinería en la época antigua. Historia de los Parques y Jardines en España. Madrid, 2001.

In Process Notes on the building history and notable architectural details

House R2 is a richly layered Roman residence shaped by four major construction phases that expanded its footprint and transformed its gardens from simple horti into elaborate peristyle landscapes.
The house demonstrates how domestic architecture in Emporiae adapted to shifting social needs, urban boundaries, and elite display culture. Notes include building evolution, garden features, porticoes, and eastern expansions, based on Tang’s phasing and archaeological plans.