Roman Baths

By Arthur and Raymond

•Romans don’t have their own baths in their house

•Most will go to public bath houses or Thermae as they are called

•Many activities were done in the bath houses

•Wrestling

•Gambling

•Ball games

Introduction

•Entry was not a problem it was either free or very low prices affordable by rich or poor people

•Bath houses was a social gathering, equivalent to today’s movies.

•There were no soap so they cover themselves with olive oil and then scrape the oil and the dirt off.

•Soap was a foreign delicacy

•Women and men bath separately

•Heated by slaves from the outside with fire, through series tunnels and hollow walls

Most thermae (Roman bath houses) have a similar layout (see Fig. 1) and the process of bathing follows a set routine. The Romans did not use soap to get clean (it was the Germanic tribes who used soap!), but oils which they rubbed on and then scraped off, taking the layers of dirt and sweat with them.

Bath Layouts

Key to Bath House Plan: 1. Frigidarium (cold room). 2. Tepidarium (warm room). 3. Caldarium (hot room). 4. Praefurnium (Furnace room). a. Cold plunge bath. b. Hot steam bath. c. Hot water tank.

1) Entrance 2)Toilets 3)Palaestra 4)Apodyterium 5)Tepiderium 6)Colidarium 7)Fridgidarium 8)Entertainment 9) Art 10)Food and Alcohol

EntertainmentWhile the baths would have stimulated your body, they also could stimulate your mind.A half-stadium at the baths probably served as a place Romans could sit and watch their favorite entertainment. Some Romans might have chosen to watch a display of juggling or gymnastics, or to listen to the sounds of jesters or musicians.