Stepping into the home of a Roman Emperor – The House of Augustus Caesar, Rome, Italy. Two thousand years ago a resident of Rome bought a modest home, lived a relatively humble life and slept in the same room for forty years. That resident was Augustus Caesar, the grand-nephew of Julius and the first ruler of the Roman Empire. And this was his home, Casa di Augusto or the House of Augustus.
👩💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.
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About Casa di Augusto and Casa di Livia, Rome, Italy
His small villa on Rome’s Palatine Hill and his less than flamboyant lifestyle was loved by his subjects and made him a much adored leader.
This 1st Century BCE residence was lost to civilisation for hundreds of years. Its rediscovery, complete with colourful frescos in every room, was a major archaeological breakthrough.
Opened to the public in 2008 the House of Augustus was a place which could only be glimpsed for a few minutes at a time by a select few visitors. But then it was closed once again.
A major change was announced in 2015. With the Casa di Augusto and that of his wife Casa di Livia reopening to private tour groups.
Get your skip-the-line tickets to Casa di Augusto here
The Forum
Equipped with headphones so we could hear our fun and quirky guide we set off in our small group for The Forum. Which acts as the gateway to the homes.
We stopped to hear more of the history of the area. Our guide brought the Roman remains in front of us alive with his tales and details of life two thousand years ago.
A fifteen-minute walk later, with a number of stops along the way to show us some more of the key sites in the Forum, we arrived at a hillside where Augustus’s residence was discovered.
Palatine Hill – the heart of Rome’s story
Palatine Hill is one of the seven hills of Rome and is steeped in legend. It was said to be the place where Romulus founded the city after defeating his brother Remus. Standing here, overlooking the Roman forum on one side and the circus maximus on the other, you really feel the weight of history.
Walking up the shady pathways, you pass ruins of imperial palaces that once housed the most powerful people in the world. For children, it’s easy to frame the story in a mythical way – tales of wolves, kings, and gladiators – which makes exploring the hill a magical experience.
For adults, it’s a reminder that Augustus chose this spot not just for its views, but for its symbolic importance as the birthplace of Rome itself.
The home of a Roman Emperor – The House of Augustus Caesar, Rome, Italy
It’s an incredible experience being able to step inside the house of Augustus Caesar. And be able to walk through many of his rooms and see the colourful frescos he commissioned for his home.
This included the ‘Room of the Masks’ where the whole room is painted in deep reds, blues and yellows. It is filled with symbolism of the time.
It’s possible to see faces and masks painted in the designs, reflecting the room’s theme of theatre.
What to look for inside Augustus’s house
While the “Room of the Masks” is the most famous, there are several other fascinating spaces worth noticing. The “Room of the Pine Festoon” has garlands of pine branches painted across the walls, a reminder of nature and renewal.
In other rooms, delicate architectural illusions create the sense of columns, windows, and open skies. children can play a sort of “spot the detail” game, looking for tiny figures, plants, or faces hidden in the decoration. The fact that these frescoes are over 2,000 years old makes them even more astonishing.
To see the rooms, without the hustle and bustle of the large crowds gave a really special insight into the cool, calm space that they would have been.
The decorations were striking. Still full of colour and were groundbreaking at the time with their use of perspective and shadows painted onto the walls. It made columns look as though they are part of the room. An incredible feat in Roman times.
As we walked through each of the rooms, our guide was providing a wonderful dialogue to help us understand what we were seeing.
It was great that he acknowledged that there are children on the tour. And he involved them by posing questions for them and helping them spot details that they might otherwise have missed.
Bringing history alive for kids at the House of Augustus
if you’re travelling with children, the House of Augustus is a brilliant chance to make history engaging. Ask them to imagine Augustus as a boy living here before he became emperor. What would his bedroom have looked like? What games might he have played in the courtyard? Our guide cleverly turned this into a guessing game, which kept younger visitors focused. It’s also a good opportunity to compare Augustus’s modest home with today’s leaders – would a prime minister or president live so simply?
Daily life in Augustus’s Rome
One of the joys of visiting the house is imagining what life here must have been like. Augustus would have risen early to meet advisors, walked through these same frescoed halls, and dined on bread, cheese, figs, and olives. He entertained poets like Virgil and Horace, who may well have stood in these rooms. For children, you can describe the house as a mix of school, office, and home – somewhere Augustus worked, lived, and planned his empire.
Casa di Livia
With no time limit facing us, it is easy to spend a good half an hour in Caesar’s house before moving on to the far grander and more lavish Casa di Livia.
Whether it was well known that Augustus’s wife had a more impressive home isn’t clear. But his reputation as a modest man living in an unpretentious residence masked the fact that he was in a position to enjoy all the trappings afforded to a Roman Emperor.
Here, in Livia’s house, the arches are taller, ceilings higher and domed and the floors are covered with marble designs. All of these noticeably absent from the house of Augustus.
This difference can spark interesting conversations with older kids about status, power, and appearances. Livia was one of the most influential women in Roman history, and her home reflected that with grand halls and polished marble. seeing the two houses side by side shows the contrast between public image and private wealth.
It’s incredible to walk through these vast rooms as the Emperor, his wife and their entourage would have done two millennia ago.
The colourful wall paintings had fallen from the walls as the place fell into disrepair.
Preserved in the home’s cool temperature they have now been painstakingly restored piece by piece. And they give an incredible insight into the earliest days of the Roman Empire.
Practical visitor information
To visit the House of Augustus you’ll need to join a guided tour, most often arranged through specialist operators. Entry numbers are kept small to preserve the site, so booking ahead is essential.
Get your skip-the-line tickets to Casa di Augusto here
Wear sturdy shoes – the ground is uneven and involves some walking uphill. In summer, mornings are the most pleasant time to go as shade is limited.
For families, a lightweight pushchair isn’t ideal here, but older kids who enjoy stories will get a lot from the experience.
About the tour of a Roman Emperor – The House of Augustus Caesar, Rome, Italy
This is a really involved tour, which our children loved exploring with us.
It takes you right into the heart of a real-life Roman palace, preserved and frozen in time. And it provides a unique and unforgettable trip.
It’s also great to visit with a guide who is knowledgeable and interesting.
We learnt things we would never have known about and our nine year old didn’t want the tour to end he enjoyed it so much.
The tour we took was three and a half hours long.
Get your skip-the-line tickets to Casa di Augusto here
Where to eat nearby
After exploring, you’ll be ready for a rest and a good meal. there are plenty of family-friendly trattorias near the Colosseum and Forum, serving pizza, pasta, and gelato.
A short walk away in the Monti district you’ll find cosy restaurants that welcome families. Grab takeaway panini if you want to picnic in one of the shaded gardens on the Palatine Hill itself – a fun, relaxed option with kids.
Where to stay near the House of Augustus
For easy access to the ancient sites, staying near the Colosseum or forum is ideal. Hotels in the Monti area offer a good balance of character, convenience, and family-friendly facilities. Larger international hotels provide pools and bigger rooms, while boutique guesthouses often give a more personal welcome.
Why the House of Augustus matters today
Walking through the modest rooms of Augustus’s home reminds you that history is made not just in grand palaces but also in everyday spaces. it shows that even the most powerful man in the Roman Empire valued simplicity, family, and tradition. For children, it’s a powerful lesson that leaders are real people, not just names in history books. for adults, it’s a moving reminder of the continuity between past and present – that two thousand years later we can still step inside these walls and feel connected to the first Roman Emperor.
Read our complete guide to Italy with kids here.
Find more posts on Italy here –
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It’s amazing being able to visit places like this and experience a part of history. This is something my eldest would love
I love that things like this really bright history to life, not just for kids, but also for adults. I LOVE history and would love to visit Rome.
Oh I would love to visit there! I think you learn so much more with a guide too.
Wow, this isn’t somthing you get to experience every day. It looks amazing and my by would love it. Mich x
What an amazing place! Going straight on my bucket list!
Wow, look at how strong the pigment is. Just amazing when you think of it’s age. Truly beautiful.