In the Shadows of Rome: A Divergent Viewpoint on Roman History

Abstract

This thesis explores the hidden, often overlooked lives of those who sustained the Roman Empire, from their diverse cultures, including enslaved labourers, auxiliary soldiers, domestic servants, craftsmen, and women, through the prism of architectural design. While Roman history is often presented as a narrative of emperors, monuments, and military victories (Bird, 2015), this official narrative obscures the realities of labour, coercion, and the marginalisation of power. By engaging with archaeological evidence from sites such as Vindolanda, Pompeii, and Hadrian's Wall, along with inscriptions and artefacts scattered throughout the empire, the project reframes Rome not only as a great civilisation, but also as one built on exploitation, adaptation, and hidden contributions.

The design is conceived as a behind-the-scenes museum, centred around a 360-degree revolving theatre that showcases Rome's monumental facade before leading visitors into immersive galleries dedicated to marginalised groups. Each gallery uses light, materiality, shadow, and spatial pressure to evoke the conditions of life in the shadows, from shackled prisoners to domestic workers, from global trade routes to civilian women's care.

The design also includes a gallery, staff cottages, and a theatre. Placed alongside the museum, it connects Rome's hidden workers to the ongoing, often invisible, work that sustains heritage today. Through this approach, the thesis argues that architecture can function not only as a container for artefacts but also as an effective means of storytelling, shifting perspectives from admiration of imperial power to empathy for the human cost behind it.