This small hut was clearly significant to the Romans who lived near it many centuries ago, but today it still gives meaning for archaeologists. Today, the hut of Romulus tells a lot about the life of the early Romans. The significance of the Hut of Romulus, because of the description of it up until the fourth century AD, shows that the Romans lived in straw huts, just like the Antemnates, a group of people who lived two miles north of Rome. Vitruvius says in de Architectura, Book II that The Phrygians' houses were "constructed of logs bound together, covered with reeds and straw, and coated with a large quantity of earth" and that "the house of Romulus in the capitol, by its thatched roof, clearly manifests the simple manners and habits of the ancients." Vitruvius' comments imply that the hut of Romulus may have also been preserved as a way to remember old architectural traditions, and that Vitruvius clearly believes that the monument is one of the best examples of that tradition.
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| A recreation of what the hut of Romulus probably looked like. It had a straw thatch roof, wooden support struts, and a foundation made of tufa. |
The hut of Romulus was a simple structure that started the entire Roman Empire. Much like the first Romans, who lived a humble lifestyle, the hut was very rustic. In some ways, the hut of Romulus symbolizes the Roman Empire: a humble beginning that now lies broken.
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