Marble Wall In Ancient Roman Baths

In ancient rome thermae from greek θερμός thermos hot and balneae from greek βαλανεῖον balaneion were facilities for bathing.

Marble wall in ancient roman baths.

60 x 43 feet was incised onto marble slabs that hung on a wall of a grand room aula in the templum pacis in rome. Thermae usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes while balneae were smaller scale facilities public or private that existed in great numbers throughout rome. Most of the roman population lived in overcrowded apartment buildings without water or sanitary facilities so the baths were the solution of the problem. Terme di caracalla in rome italy were the city s second largest roman public baths or thermae likely built between ad 212 or 211 and 216 217 during the reigns of emperors septimius severus and caracalla.

Today only 1 186 pieces or 10 15 of this gargantuan city map exist. The baths were very elegant. They were also the most sumptuous and luxurious roman baths ever built. Throughout the countryside romans including women and enslaved people would wash every day and would have a thorough bath on every feast day if not more often.

However they have served as an inspiration for many other notable buildings. 235 ce huge walls and arches still stand and attest to the imposing dimensions of the complex which used some 6 9 million bricks and. Moreover they served as a place for socialization. Elaborately decorated with mosaics and marble statues and wall paintings the larger centres like the caracalla baths in rome are known to have had libraries in caracalla s case two separate libraries and lecture halls for the more academic.

In rome itself baths were taken daily. Under the reign of emperor septimus severus. Baths of caracalla contain huge columns mosaics of glass and marble on the walls painted stuccos and different statues with impressive sizes. Most roman cities had at least one if not many such buildings.

In daily life in ancient rome florence dupont writes that it was for reasons of ritual that the romans washed frequently. The map measuring ca. The baths of caracalla italian. The romans also constructed baths in their colonies taking advantage of the natural hot springs occurring in europe to construct baths at aix and vichy in france bath and buxton in england aachen and wiesbaden in germany baden in austria and aquincum in hungary among other locations these baths became centers for recreational and social activities in roman communities.

A normal bath house would have mirror covered walls ceilings made of glass and the pools lined with marble and all sorts of artwork covered the floors. It was located on an interior wall of the temple of peace built by emperor vespasian in 71 c e. They were in operation until the 530s and then fell into disuse and ruin. This enormous marble map depicting ancient rome detailed enough to show nearly every bathhouse and temple in the city was created around 211 c e.

Time and the need for marble as a building material gradually destroyed the plan. A roman who visited the baths would enter the baths through the front porch whose roof was supported by marble pillars.