Retired teacher with an advocation in history who loves to travel. The house or apartment you lived in depended on status and wealth. The poor of Rome lived in small cramped apartments that were a combination of cement and wood. The roof of all houses were made with timbers holding a covering of titles or thatch.The apartments were multistory so if a fire broke out it would jump from apartment to apartment buring the whole area.etired teacher with an advocation in history who loves to travel. The house or apartment you lived in depended on status and wealth. The poor of Rome lived in small cramped apartments that were a combination of cement and wood. The roof of all houses were made with timbers holding a covering of titles or thatch.