ABSTRACT
The chapter begins with a definition of what types of features were used in the peristyle design to signal socioeconomic status. Hypothetically, anything can be interpreted as a status symbol, but in order to be a useful status symbol, it has to be something noteworthy, meaning that it has to be extraordinary and visually powerful. The source material, however, is tricky, and not all features are documented so well that it is possible to know what was normal, or on the contrary what was extraordinary. Therefore, the possibility of making a reliable comparison with the entire city – or almost the entire city – is needed for the analysis. There are seven features that fulfill both criteria: the size of the peristyle, the number of porticoes, pools, fountains, sculpture, wall paintings, and floor decoration.
