Dafina GERASIMOVSKA
House Development in the Cities of the Republic of Macedonia throughout Antiquity
Abstract
The Classical dwellings found on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia have been given only partial attention, so far. This text will focus on the development of these houses through the Antiquity. The earliest representatives of urban living, dated to the Early Antiquity, created a world of intimacy, with their relatively small scale and simple plan. Much is known of this kind of houses through the remains of such dwellings found in the settlement of Vardarski Rid, near the modern-day city of Gevgelija. Remains of Roman houses were found in almost all Roman cities in Macedonia such as Stobi, Skupi and Heraclea. The mix of features specific for the Hellenistic and the Roman world can be seen in the modest remains of early Roman houses in Macedonia. The presence of peristyle houses, which are typical for the Roman provinces in the Imperial period, is dominant in the area of the Republic of Macedonia. In the Late Antiquity, the social status of certain individuals has changed. Large houses were more developed than before, as a result of the concentration of wealth in the hands of new aristocracy. The new aristocracy demonstrated their recently accumulated wealth and status via building lavish homes. Yet, the more rustic, humble dwellings were cluttering the streets of the urban and suburban areas. These dwellings were created with the division of older residences and public buildings into smaller living quarters.
Reference: GERASIMOVSKA D., Social status as reflected through metal objects found in archaic burials from Macedonia,Haemus journal Vol. 1 (2012), Skopje, 57-69.
(after Gerasimovska 2009, fig. 123)
