TRICLINIUM

This article appears in Volume V27, Page 267 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

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TRICLINIUM , in Roman antiquities, a set of three couches (lecti) arranged round a four-sided dining table, one side of which was left open to provide free access for the attendant slaves. These couches were distinguished as the highest (A, lectus summus), the middle (B, lectus medius) and the lowest (C, lectus imus); the guests who reclined on B had A on their left and Con their right. Each couch was usually occupied by three persons, whose left arm rested on a cushion, the right hand being thus disengaged for purposes of eating. The nine places were allotted in accordance with strict etiquette. A and B were reserved for the guests (B for the most distinguished), C for the host and his family. In A and C the

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

place was 1; in B it was 3- which
3 2 1
imus 3 medius 2 summus 1
was consequently the place of honour at the banquet. It was called locus consularis (fnrarucbc), probably as being next to the host. Another explanation is that, since it was on the open and unsupported side of the couch, it was chosen in order that, if a

consul

happened to be present among the guests, he might be able to receive communications, sign documents or transact business with the least inconvenience. It the locus classicus in

Horace

HORACE [QuINTus HORATIUS FLACCUS] (65-8 B.C.)

(Satires, ii. 8, 20-23), which describes the banquet given by Nasidienus in honour of Maecenas, the host appears
I summus
2 medius
3
imus
B
C
A
to have resigned his place to Nomentanus, as being more capable of entertaining the guest of the evening. In later republican times, after the introduction of round tables of citrus

wood

WOOD, ANTHONY A2 (1632-1695)
WOOD, JOHN GEORGE (1827—1889)
HENRY
- HENRY
- HENRY (1129-1195)
- HENRY (c. 1108-1139)
- HENRY (c. 1174–1216)
- HENRY (Fr. Henri; Span. Enrique; Ger. Heinrich; Mid. H. Ger. Heinrich and Heimrich; O.H.G. Haimi- or Heimirih, i.e. " prince, or chief of the house," from O.H.G.
  heim
  - HEIM, ALBERT VON ST GALLEN (1849- )
  - HEIM, FRANCOIS JOSEPH (1787-1865)
  , the Eng.
  home
  - HOME
  - HOME, DANIEL DUNGLAS (1833-1886)
  - HOME, EARLS OF
  , and rih, Goth. reiks; compare Lat. rex " king "—" rich," therefore " mig
- HENRY, EDWARD LAMSON (1841– )
- HENRY, JAMES (1798-1876)
- HENRY, JOSEPH (1797-1878)
- HENRY, MATTHEW (1662-1714)
- HENRY, PATRICK (1736–1799)
- HENRY, PRINCE OF BATTENBERG (1858-1896)
- HENRY, ROBERT (1718-1790)
- HENRY, VICTOR (1850– )
- HENRY, WILLIAM (1795-1836)
_ELLEN_18141887_.html">WOOD, MRS
HENRY
- HENRY
- HENRY (1129-1195)
- HENRY (c. 1108-1139)
- HENRY (c. 1174–1216)
- HENRY (Fr. Henri; Span. Enrique; Ger. Heinrich; Mid. H. Ger. Heinrich and Heimrich; O.H.G. Haimi- or Heimirih, i.e. " prince, or chief of the house," from O.H.G.
  heim
  - HEIM, ALBERT VON ST GALLEN (1849- )
  - HEIM, FRANCOIS JOSEPH (1787-1865)
  , the Eng.
  home
  - HOME
  - HOME, DANIEL DUNGLAS (1833-1886)
  - HOME, EARLS OF
  , and rih, Goth. reiks; compare Lat. rex " king "—" rich," therefore " mig
- HENRY, EDWARD LAMSON (1841– )
- HENRY, JAMES (1798-1876)
- HENRY, JOSEPH (1797-1878)
- HENRY, MATTHEW (1662-1714)
- HENRY, PATRICK (1736–1799)
- HENRY, PRINCE OF BATTENBERG (1858-1896)
- HENRY, ROBERT (1718-1790)
- HENRY, VICTOR (1850– )
- HENRY, WILLIAM (1795-1836)
[ELLEN] (1814—1887)
WOOD, SEARLES VALENTINE (1798—188o)

, the three couches were replaced by one of

crescent

CRESCENT (Lat. crescens, growing)

shape (called sigma from the form C of the Greek

letter

LETTER (through Fr. lettre from Lat. littera or litera, letter of the alphabet; the origin of the Latin word is obscure; it has probably no connexion with the root of linere, to smear, i.e. with wax, for an inscription with a stilus)

; also stibadium and accubitum), which as a

rule

RULE

was only intended to hold five persons. The two corner seats (cornua) were the places of honour, that on the right being considered superior. The remaining seats were reckoned from left to right, so that the least important seat was on the left side of the most important. The use of the sigma continued till the middle ages. The dining-room itself was also called triclinium, and in the houses of wealthy Romans there were several triclinia suited to the different seasons of the year.
See Marquardt, Das Privatleben der Romer (1886), p. 302.

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