Domus Romana Rabat

Just in front of the walls of Mdina is a Roman structure built in the 1st century BC. Found in 1881 by chance during tree planting, it has been used as a museum open to the public since 1882.

Since this was a Roman house, the museum also includes sections of the daily life of the Romans and talks about their diet. The Romans, who stored their meals in ceramic pots, ate 3 meals a day, just like today. They would start the day with a light breakfast, continue with lighter meals in the afternoon and eat fuller meals in the evening. Drinking wine before or after meals was important for the Romans.

Muslim graves have also been found in the area. Malta was once home to Muslim slaves and these people were allowed to live here. These graves and tombstones are probably structures from that period.

The most important point of the museum is the mosaic in the center, which depicts mythological scenes. Mosaics, which were considered an important decorative element during the Roman period, were made in every room of the houses. One of these mosaics on the floor in the Domus Romana, which has survived to the present day in a very good condition and adorns the brochures of Malta, consists of various ornaments and a picture in the center. We see two pigeons, light and dark, standing around a bowl. We see these figures in many artworks in antiquity.

On the pedestrian path around the large mosaic, mosaics excavated from the surrounding area are on display. Portrait sculptures decorating rooms and houses were also found here. The 1st century sculptures were used as decoration.

The Romans, who occupied the island of Malta for a while, used the Roman house in Rabat until the 2nd century AD. When you go out of the area where the mosaic is located, you can see the remains of the Roman house.