Roman Baths Non-Chronological Report Example:

Roman Baths
Every Roman city had a public bath where people came to bathe and socialise. The
public bath was something like a community centre where people worked out,
relaxed, and met with other people.

Getting Clean

The main purpose of the baths was a way for the Romans to get
clean. Most Romans living in the city tried to get to the baths every
day to clean up. They would get clean by putting oil on their skin and
then scraping it off with a metal scraper called a strigil.

Socialising

The baths were also a place for socialising. Friends would meet up
at the baths to talk and have meals. Sometimes men would hold
business meetings or discuss politics.

Oil and Scrapers

Did you have to pay to get in?

There was a fee to get into the public baths. The fee was generally pretty small so
even the poor could afford to go. Sometimes the baths would be free as a politician
or emperor would pay for the public to attend.

The Frigidarium by Overbeck

A Typical Roman Bath

The typical Roman bath could be quite large with a number of different rooms.
 • Apodyterium - This room was the changing room where visitors would take off
their clothing before entering the main area of the baths.
• Tepidarium - This room was a warm bath. It was often the main central hall in
the bath where the bathers met and talked.
• Caldarium - This was a hot and steamy room with a very hot bath.
• Frigidarium - This room had a cold bath to cool the bathers at the end of a hot
day.
• Palaestra - The palaestra was a gymnasium where bathers could exercise.
They might lift weights, throw a discus, or play ball games.

Some baths were so big they had multiple hot and cold baths. They also might have
a library, a food service, a garden, and a reading room.

Private Baths

Wealthy people sometimes had their own private baths inside their homes. These
could be quite expensive as they had to pay the government for the amount of water
that they used. Even if a wealthy person had their own bath, they still likely visited
the public baths in order to be social and meet with people.

How did they get water to the baths?

The Romans built aqueducts to carry fresh water from lakes or rivers to the cities.
Roman engineers constantly monitored the water levels and aqueducts to make sure
that there was enough water for the city and the baths. They even had underground
pipes and sewage systems. Wealthy people were able to have running water in their
homes.

Interesting Facts About Ancient Roman Baths

• Men and women bathed at different times or in different areas of the baths.
• One of the most famous Roman baths was in Bath, England. The baths were
built on hot springs that were said to have healing powers.
• The floors of the baths were heated by a Roman system called a hypocaust
that circulated hot air under the floors.
• Items were often stolen in the baths by pickpockets and thieves.
• Larger cities would have several public baths.
• The Baths of Diocletian were the largest baths in Rome. Built in 306 AD, the
baths could hold 3000 people and covered an area of over 30 acres.