These ancient high-rises, called insulae, were a direct response to Rome's massive population density. The lower floors were desirable shops and spacious apartments with piped water, but construction standards plummeted as buildings climbed. Upper floors, built cheaply with timber and inferior brick, were cramped, lacked sanitation, and were notoriously prone to fires and collapses. The satirist Juvenal complained of the constant fear of being buried in rubble. Despite regulations, the profit mo

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