Privacy existed, but its boundaries were different from those of modern individualistic households. Several people might share rooms, work occurred in courtyards or other visible spaces, and neighbors lived nearby.
Ancient Mediterranean households were organized around family and community relationships rather than the modern expectation that each individual should possess substantial private space.
Conversation, work, meals, illness, arguments, visitors, and celebrations could be difficult to keep entirely within one private sphere. News could spread quickly.
Domestic architecture shows relatively compact rooms, shared courtyards, adjoining buildings, and multifunctional spaces rather than highly specialized private rooms.
Ancient narratives regularly portray neighbors, relatives, servants, guests, and crowds entering household settings and becoming aware of domestic events.
Biblical life is strongly household-centered, with individual actions often affecting family and community reputation.
Gospel scenes repeatedly show houses filling with visitors and crowds, sometimes making access difficult, as in the healing of the paralytic at Capernaum.
Domestic architecture and social organization created substantial interaction between household members and nearby neighbors.
Limited physical privacy does not mean ancient people had no concept of secrecy, modesty, solitude, or personal boundaries.
The public character of many Gospel events becomes more understandable when we recognize how closely domestic and community life overlapped.