[1] The Domus Augusti is located near the so-called Hut of Romulus and other sites that have connections to the foundation of Rome.

Suetonius indicates that Augustus moved into the House of Quintus Hortensius on the Palatine, relocating from his original home in the Roman Forum.

His initial excavations revealed a structure, consisting of a set of rooms, which has now been identified as part of a larger complex known as Peristyle A.

[14] The visible structure consists of two rows of rooms built in opus quadratum, divided into eastern and western sections.

The rooms to the western side of this complex may have been the private living quarters and have extensive wall decorations.

[18] Peristyle B lies a symmetrical position across on the other side of the Temple of Apollo Palatinus and was constructed between 39 and 36 BC.

Built of Luna marble and concrete, it housed the cult statues of Apollo, Diana and Latona, in addition to the Sibylline books.

[21] Suetonius (c. 70–130 AD), lawyer and secretary of the imperial palace, wrote of the House of Augustus: He lived at first near the Forum Romanum, afterwards on the Palatine in a modest dwelling remarkable neither for size or elegance, having but a short colonnade with columns of local stone and rooms without any marble decorations or handsome pavements.

Since recent excavation has revealed a very large villa plan, some are inclined to doubt the statement of Suetonius.

[23] This doubt is reinforced by the fact that Suetonius is known to have included rumors and literary embellishment in his biographical accounts, in order to characterize emperors in a certain light.