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The Roman heating system was called a hypocaust. How did Romans heat their homes?Rich Romans liked to be warm and cosy. They had central heating at home, in villas and in public baths. The heating system was kept going by slaves, who kept a fire blazing in a furnace to heat warm air. The warm air moved around the building through spaces under the floors and between the walls.
Under Floor Heating (hypocaust). Rich Roman houses had central heating which was under the floors. This heating system was called a hypocaust. The floors were supported on stacks of tiles (pilae) and hot air was circulated under the floor from a furnace stoked outside the building. Mosaic Floors. Mosaic have been found on the floors of many Roman buildings. Rich Romans decorated the floors of their main rooms with mosaics-tiny coloured stones (tesserae). These were stuck to the floor with mortar, a type of cement. Each mosaic used thousands of pieces to make a pattern. Mosaic floors were a statement of wealth and importance.