Quadriporticus
A quadriporticus (plural: quadriporticus) was a square/rectangular courtyard area surrounded on four sides by porticoes. The name is derived from the Latin four, quattor, and porticus, a colonnaded and covered walkway. The shape and layout is reminiscent of the Greek and Roman palaestrae. While palaestrae have links to exercise and bathing, a quadriporticus typically refers to this type of monumental structure used outside of a bathing complex in the Roman world, though it may still have links to athletic endeavors. Quadriporticus often seem to be built in conjunction with a theater, with several of the buildings being found constructed to the rear of a theater. The quadriporticus differs from a peristyle in that while they may both incorporate a four sided portico, the peristyle is specifically an interior courtyard in a larger building, while the quadriporticus is the building itself (though it may be part of a larger building complex).
