Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Solarium

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

SOLA'RIUM (σκιάθηρον). A sun-dial; a general term, including many different kinds and forms of the same instrument, with distinct and appropriate names, enumerated in the Classed Index, and described, each one under its own special denomination. Varro, L. L. vi. 4. Plin. H. N. vii. 60.

2. Solarium ex aqua. A water-glass, which performed the uses of a clock; showing the hours by the decrease of water contained in it, against a certain number of spaces (spatia, Sidon. Apoll. Ep. ii. 9.) partitioned off on the body of the vessel from which it escaped, or of the one into which it distilled. (Cic. N. D. ii. 34.) In this passage Cicero uses the term solarium both for a sun-dial and for a water-clock; but distinguishes them by calling the former solarium descriptum, the latter solarium ex aqua.

3. (ἡλιαστήριον). A terrace on the top of a house built with a flat roof, or over a porch, surrounded by a parapet wall, but open to the sky, to which the inhabitants retired to enjoy the sunshine and fresh breezes in fair weather, as is still a common practice at Naples and in the East. (Isidor. Orig. xv. 3. 12. Suet. Nero, 16. Plaut. Mil. ii. 4. 25.) A terrace of this kind was discovered on the second story of a house excavated at Herculaneum, of which a description is given at p. 251. and a plan of the same, on which it is marked G. Subsequently, however, the solarium was covered with a roof (Inscript. ap. Fabrett. p. 724. n. 443.) as a protection against the sun, and formed, in fact, the upper story of a house, open to the air on all sides, except the top, as in the example (Solarium/3.1), representing Dido's palace, from the Vatican Virgil. When thus constructed it was employed in hot weather as a coenaculum, or refreshment room. Inscript. l. c.

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  Solarium/3.1