History
of Ancient Roman Baths
PAGE 2
We know that baths have a long history but why was this the venue chosen for men to relax and discuss affairs?
Consider the climate. From Rome south, Italy is a fairly warm area. To have a place to cool off, to soak away the grit of the city etc. was a rather nice idea.
Hot springs abound in volcanic areas. Romans knew the pleasure of soaking in a sulfur spring. Could hot water be generated in areas where there were no springs? All these components fit together to create public baths. As the hypocaust system developed, hot or warm water(or air) could be brought to different areas. The size of baths grew to huge porportions.
Romans also looked to Greece for ideas and exercise was indeed an important ingredient in Greek life. Greeks had had modest baths as did other civilizations. Remnants of the "Great Bath" at Mohenjo-Daro in modern Pakistan date from 2500 BC. Greeks had small pools, tubs, footbaths and even a form of shower. But the Romans took all these ideas to develop an architectural marvel. Looking at baths from previous cultures, they added various areas for sports and exercise and created huge monuments with a form of central heating that had never before been seen.
By 33 BC there were 170 baths, public and private in Rome alone. As the empire grew bathing places became more and more luxurious. By the end of the first century huge private and public baths had been built. Martial referred to them as thermae. The daily bath had became a social occasion. The increase in the numbers of baths in dramatic. By the end of the 4th century AD, there were 11 public baths and 926 private baths in Rome alone. The bath of Diocletian, built in 305 AD could accomodate over 3000 bathers.
One might equate a Roman bath today with a country club or Y. There
were not only the hot, warm and cool baths. The Thermae of
Marcus Crassus advertised both fresh and salt water baths. One could also
find exercise areas, masseurs, barbers, shops, restaurants, and even libraries.
The private bath in ones home was fine for a good soak but there was no
comraderie there. When out in the country and away from the activity of
the city, the bath in one's own villa will do.
But here in the city, the bathhouses were a lifeline to the news of
the day. There were private rooms to discuss those matters that were not
to be publicly spread. Might the plot to kill Caesar have started in a
bath?
Baths were no longer a privilege for the wealthy although even the cheapest public bath did charge a fee of 1 quadrans for about an hour of soaking and chatting, jogging, wrestling, meet friends or conduct business. One usually arrived shorthly after midday. The balnatores (bathhouse operators who were usually freedmen) would keep the facility open until dusk. Remember the streets of Rome were not considered safe at night. Outside of Rome they may have been open later. Over 1300 oil lamps were found in the ruins of one bath in Pompeii. As women gained more financial power and thus more stature, the baths were made available to them too. Woman either had separate facilities or were allowed to use the full establishment at a time earlier than men, generally from dawn to 1 p.m. but there might be mixed bathing in the large pools. (natationes) The poor were sometimes allowed to use baths without a fee when some wealthy individual, perhaps seeking votes, would purchase the use of a bath for an afternoon and open without charge to the less fortunate. One can equate this to the practice today when a corporation might buy a block of tickets for theatre or symphony performances and donate them to a senior citizen center.
Let's visit a bath... (Page 3)