ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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The triclinium, triclinium (in Greek τρικλίνιον, in Latin triclinium, n.k.a. triclinia) is an official dining room in the ancient Roman architecture, furnished with 3 beds resembling sofas or couches, located in the form of the letter The same term is called all three sofas in the dining room. This type of furniture appears in residential buildings and palaces, as the tradition of the rich ancient Romans is to eat half-bedroom. On the side of the table, the furniture-free side of the table is served. When the room has only two beds, it's called biklinium. The names triclinium and bicline originate from the Greek word κλίναι, meaning bed, sofa.

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The triklinium is usually a beautifully decorated room designed for feeding, recreation and long conversations with guests. It's got a lot of housekeeping time.

Depending on the season, tricliniciums can be closed, shaped as a room, or discovered, in the form of a gazebo, pergola or arranged in another type of landscape element. When the room is closed, the walls are adorned with murals, mosaics, carvings, as well as all other premises at home. Flooring is usually made of marble plates, or mosaic. Often, under the open sky, these types of beds are made of stone, especially when placed near temples, wells or graves. In summer, the trikillium is usually organized in the atrium of the Roman home.

The decoration on the walls and floors of the triclinium are different and characteristic of each of the territories conquered by the Roman Empire. They are selected to stimulate thoughts and conversations, as well as strengthen the memories of the feast. In North Africa and today's Italy, France and Spain they are decorated with scenes of civil spectacles and especially games of the arena. Gladiator, or more often animal battles, or eating people from animals. Some of these motives in the eastern parts of the Empire, by today's perceptions, are extremely inappropriate for a dining room. For example, a triclonium in Cyprus depicts a leopard walking away from the carcass of a wild donkey carrying his head in his mouth.

Sometimes the walls and floors of the triclinium are decorated with scenes of local mythology or are developed philosophical topics. One example of this is the floor mosaic of triclonium in the atrium of a residential building in Antioch. Parts of it are located in Paris and others are located in Worcester, Massachusetts. With the entrance into this triclonium, the first sight falls on the images of Hercules and Dionysus participating in a drinking contest.

Sometimes the room is elliptical, and according to Vitruvius, regardless of the shape, the ratio between its length and width should be 2:1. Vitruvius also describes tricliniums designed for summer use, on which one side is open to the north, and on each of the three walls are provided windows facing the garden, fountains and statues. It's possible there's a couple of triclinicals in one house.

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