Imagine living in a 9-story apartment building made of wood and mud bricks. No running water, no toilet, and your landlord is a slumlord who literally doesn't care if the building collapses. 💀 Welcome to the Roman insulae—the OG apartment buildings that housed a million people in downtown Rome.
Rome was the first city to hit a million people, and they had to stack 'em high. The insulae (Latin for "islands") were ancient skyscrapers, some reaching 9 stories tall. The ground floor had shops and businesses, but the upper floors were a whole different story. 😬
Emperor Augustus had to cap the height at 68 feet because they kept falling down. After the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64, Emperor Nero lowered it again to 60 feet. It was a literal death trap.
One of the richest men in Rome, Marcus Licinius Crassus, owned tons of these insulae. His business model? He allegedly was happy when his buildings collapsed because he could charge higher rents for the new ones. 💀 Talk about a villain origin story.
So next time you complain about your apartment, just remember: at least it probably won't collapse on you. And you (hopefully) have a toilet. 🙏
1. HistoryExtra - "Five facts about Roman insulae"
This article gives a great overview of the height, construction, and living conditions of the insulae.
2. Spoken Past - "6 Realities of Living in Ancient Roman Apartments"
A deep dive into the harsh realities of daily life in an insula, from sanitation to fire risk.
3. Wikipedia - "Insula (building)"
The Wikipedia page has detailed information on the construction, regulation, and social structure of the insulae.
