in antiquity, a kind of servants or officers in the great families at Rome, who had the care and inspection of the atrium and the things lodged therein.

These are otherwise called atrarii, though some make a distinction between atrienses and atrarii; suggesting that the latter were an inferior order of servants, perhaps assistants of the atrienses, and employed in the more servile offices of the atrium, as to attend at the door, sweep the area, &c.

The atrienses are represented as servants of authority and command over the rest: they acted as procurators, or agents, of their master, in selling his goods, &c. To their care were committed the statues and images of the master's ancestors, &c. which were placed round the atrium; and which they carried in procession at funerals, &c.

In the villas, or country houses, the atrienses had the care of the other furniture and utensils, particularly those of metal, which they were to keep bright from rust. Other things they were to hang from time to time in the sun, to keep them dry, &c. They were clothed in a short white linen habit, to distinguish them, and prevent their loitering from home.