The cubiculum was the bedroom of the Roman house.
Those bedrooms situated around the atrium tended to be smaller than those
round the peristylium. To the Romans these rooms were apparently of less
importance than the other rooms of the house. The ceilings were vaulted and
lower above the bed, often making the room appear a cramped and stuffy
place.
According to the apparent tradition of the Roman house of giving each room a
very specific use, the floor mosaics of the cubiculum often clearly marked
out the rectangle where the bed was to be placed.
The cubicula on the west side of the atrium contained
a painting of the myth of Phrixus and Helle and a simple 4th style frieze of
battle scenes between the Greeks and the Amazons.
