20 - House attributed to Cantaber

The largest known private residence in the excavated area of Conimbriga is 3260 square meters in size and was built in the 1st century AD. Having survived as a large house until the final phase of the Roman city, it has been hypothetically attributed to Cantaber, a very notable individual from a historical point of view, who is known to have been one of the city's aristocrats when it was sacked by the Suebi in 465. The house is divided into five distinct sectors, each centered on a peristyle that provided light and ventilation to a set of rooms. The main sector was the central one, composed of the large entrance, the central peristyle, and the main dining room. This room was opened by large windows to the end of the house, occupied by a vast garden. The central peristyle had water features, with fountains fed by a system of lead pipes, and a set of sculptural decorations that, unfortunately, have been completely lost. The destruction suffered by the mosaics was also extensive, and in many rooms they are reduced to mere vestiges, having to be covered for conservation reasons. This is mainly due to the successive reoccupations the house suffered, which deteriorated the structures.