Salubrious Spaces: Gardens and Health in Roman Italy, c. 150 BCE–CE 100

In this poster I present new research on Roman gardens and health. Various genres of Roman literature dating to the late Republican and early Imperial Roman periods (c. 150 BC–AD 100) indicate that gardens had the power to encourage health, inspire relaxation, and to stimulate the senses. Epicurean philosophy, in particular, influenced Roman attitudes towards the beneficial attributes of natural environments, as Pliny the Younger explained (Ep. 1.9.4; 2.17). He said visits to his villas, located away from the city, enhanced his mental and physical state; thus, demonstrating that there existed a perceived link between an individual’s encounter with specific environments and their health.

Over the past two decades, scholarship on ancient medicine has expanded rapidly, and while occasionally the concept of health, as opposed to illness, is considered, more research is required to understand ancient perceptions of it. From what the ancient medical writers described, it can be ascertained that a healthy person had a balance of bodily humours and a stable mind. Environmental factors were fundamental to achieving this equilibrium, as can be seen in the Hippocratic work Airs Waters Places. Yet, such works were intended for physicians and explain large-scale spaces, prevailing winds, and water quality. They did not account for an individual’s experience of a space, like Pliny’s.

By looking specifically at Roman gardens in the Bay of Naples, I ask what sensory experience (e.g. sights and sounds) did people have within gardens that were believed to contribute towards their well-being? And what attributes made a garden salubrious? This is achieved through an analysis of literature, art, and archaeological remains. I compare Roman descriptions of gardens with frescos from sites in the vicinity of the Bay of Naples to determine if there are comparable attributes regarding scenery, flora and fauna. Images of gardens are studied to note particular features that can alert us to ideal views, sounds, and possibly smells.  For example, depictions of birds, shed light onto what might have been considered harmonious to the ear, while flowers can alert us to pleasant smells. Depictions of flowers and trees provide information about colors that may have been encountered. Vitruvius, for example, noted that the color green on foliage was beneficial for the eyes (de Arch. 5.9.5).

Gardens identified in the archaeological record are compared for their placement within houses and decorative features.  Understanding their locations assists in identifying what was envisioned to be salubrious in terms of their views, access to fresh air and water, and positions away from places that were malodorous or cacophonous. If dwellings were in unhealthy locations, such as in an urban setting, its garden may have been designed and decorated to mimic natural landscape features deemed beneficial for the health of the individual who occupied the space.

A thorough assessment of the remains provides a nuanced understanding of the desired sensual experiences gardens offered that helped in the formation of health.