ROMAN BATHS

Of all the leisure activities, bathing was surely the most important for many Romans, since it was part of the daily regimen for men of all classes, and many women as well. Apart from their normal hygienic functions, baths provided facilities for sports and recreation. Bathing had a fairly regular ritual, and bathhouses were built to accommodate this. It involved exercise first followed by a

APODYTERION (changing rooms)In Pompeii

APODYTERIONReconstruction

APODYTERIONReconstruction from Gutenberg Museum

APODYTERION In Stabiae

The Palaestra• This was the exercise area. It consisted of a

large central courtyard surrounded by a shady portico which led into the bathing rooms. They might also take a

swim in the large outdoor pool (natatio)

• After exercise, bathers would have the dirt and oil scraped from their bodies with a curved metal implement called a strigil. Then the bathing proper began

THE ROMANS FOLLOWED THE HOT TO COLD METHOD OF BATHING

• Accompanied by a slave carrying their towels, oil flasks and strigils, bathers would progress at a leisurely pace through rooms of various temperature. They might start in the warm room (tepidarium), which had heated walls and floors but sometimes had no pool, and then proceed to the hot bath (caldarium), which was closest to the furnace.

The Hypocaust• Heating System: Roman engineers devised an ingenious system

of heating the baths—the hypocaust. The floor was raised off the ground by pillars and spaces were left inside the walls so that hot air from the furnace (praefurnium) could circulate through these open areas. Rooms requiring the most heat were placed closest to the furnace, whose heat could be increased by adding more wood.

The raised floor allowing for under-floor heating

THE CALDARIUMThis room had a large tub or small pool with very hot water and a

waist-high fountain (labrum) with cool water to splash on the face and

neck.

The labrum

The Caldarium showing the small pool

The Caldarium The small pool

for bathing

Caldarium - reconstruction

The FrigidariumBathers would finish in the cold room (frigidarium) with a refreshing dip in the cold pool.

LATRINE