Roman Baths
After a morning's work at the office or shop, most
Roman's enjoyed spending the afternoon at the thermae or public bath.
Men and women enjoyed coming to the baths not only to get clean but
to meet with friends, exercise, or read at the library.
Generally, Romans would first go to the unctuarium where they had oil
rubbed onto their skin and would then exercise in one of the exercise
yards. From here they would move to the tepidarium or warm room where
they would lie around chatting with their friends. Next, it was on to
the caldarium, similar to a Turkish bath, hot and steamy. Here they
sat and perspired, scraping their skin with a strigil, a curved metal
tool. Attendants would serve them snacks and drinks. Finally came a
dip in the calidarium
(hot bath) and a quick dip in the frigidarium (cold bath). After
swimming, the bather might enjoy a massage where he might have oils
and perfumes rubbed into his skin.
Feeling clean and relaxed, the Roman might drift through the
beautiful gardens decorated with mosaics and colossal scruptures or
enjoy athletic events in a theaterlike rotunda.
The largest of all Roman baths was the Diocletian,
completed in A.D. 305 and covered an area of 130,000 sq.
yards.
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The pictures above show a Roman Bath in
England. |
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