Palmyra, Baths of Diocletian (034_DSC_1323.

tif)

Erica Paun
The Bath Of Diocletian
In my opinion, Italy is one of many countries that can be proud of its
history, architecture. One of these architectural memory is The Bath of
Diocletian.
In this essay I will be uncovering the social, physical and political
aspects of the spectacular public Baths of Diocletian. I
Anchored in the heart of Rome, are remains of the most
important buildings of the Roman Empire: The Baths of
Diocletian.
The Baths of Diocletian were the most impressive of the public
baths in Ancient Rome. Opened in 306 AD, they were used for
more than two centuries before the water supply was cut off by
the Goths. They are similar in structure and layout to many other
Roman baths, being distinguished chiefly by their immense size.
Today, the remains of the baths have become a major tourist
attraction.
It was a most unusual place, were crowds of Roman citizens would
gather whilst relaxing in the most heavenly of circumstances. Built to
hold over 3000 people at once, with close to 50 acres surrounding,
these Baths were extremely advanced. The Romans were so brilliant
in their designs that even the position of the foundation, oriented
towards the sun, enabling the Baths to harvest the solar heat of mid-
day. There was pluming that brought in hot and cold water from miles
away and draining systems with reservoirs allowing the baths to be
cleaned and re-filled regularly. A remarkably sophisticated heating
system called the Hypocaust, radiated heat from the walls and floors.
Underneath the Baths and within its walls, this system of channels and
passageways provided a central heating system- where hot air from a
burning furnace would circulate throughout the entire structure. It
was so hot that wooden sandals were worn for whenever walking
about. It is hard to image such advancements could have taken place
over 2000 years ago!
To understand how the Romans enjoyed these baths, we must first
discuss why the baths were built. . In Rome, baths were considered a
public good for society, and were usually “bestowed” to the city by the
Emperor, as a gift to his people. The public baths of Diocletian were
dedicated in 306 to Emperor Diocletian by Maxentius. Scholars believe
it was a way to publically compensate the losses after the dividing the
Roman Empire. What better way to win the hearts of your people,
than to build the most impressive public “baths” As with most large
Roman bath complexes, Diocletian’s consisted not only of the baths
themselves but also a variety of libraries, gymnasiums, theaters,
gardens, and other public spaces. There were pools of cold, tepid, and
hot water, and the floors were decorated with fine mosaics. Marble
was used extensively in the baths’ interior construction, although the
exterior was made of stucco fashioned to look like marble. The central
hall, which was of great size, became the model for the Basilica of
Maxentius. The Baths were open to all citizens of Rome, not just for
the high born. Thus, the ancient Romans, in particular the locals from
the neighboring districts, could come at the Baths of Diocletian and
enjoy all the treatments one could possibly conceive at the time: dips
in the frigidarium, followed by plunges in the tepidarium’s pools, and,
finally, a visit to the relaxing caldarium, completing a natural and
wholesome trajectory from low to medium and, eventually, hot
temperatures. These were the basic rooms, so to speak, of the
complex, but they were not the only essential areas of the complex.

The baths consisted of three main parts: the caldarium, tepidarium,

and frigidarium. The first of these was a hot room, which contained a
hypocaust providing heat from beneath the flooring. This was
powered by a furnace burning wood, which was operated by
specialized slave labor. Similar rooms were provided for each gender.
The caldarium contained a sunken bath which was filled with hot
water, as well as a drier area where patrons would work up a sweat,
add olive oil to their bodies, and then use a curved tool called a strigil
to scrape away dirt. . How did they spend their time ? Gathering at the
Baths was a social ritual that defined what it meant to be a Roman.
Being a Roman over 2000 years ago, meant visiting the Baths, daily, if
possible. At the Baths of Diocletian, Romans would be discussing
politics, events, arguing, laughing, drinking, singing and even
exercising. Were the baths used for political purposes? I suggest that
the baths could have been used for plotting purposes ie making secret
alliances between senators. It was a good place for messages to be
exchanged between people who didn't want to acknowledge certain
contacts. However, the main political meeting place was the Forum.

Did the baths have any link with religion? Initially there was no link
with religion but as the baths grew more popular, wealthy citizens
would advance themselves politically and socially by building and
dedicating a bath to a certain god and giving it to the people of the
area. By dedicating the baths to certain deities it was believed the
deity might bless the waters giving them healing properties. This was
used to their advantage by the Romans in Aqua Sulis.

Typical Elements of Roman Baths

Typical features were:

1. Apodyterium - changing rooms.

2 .Palaestrae - exercise rooms.

3. Natatio - open-air swimming pool.

4. Laconica and sudatoria - superheated dry and wet sweating-

rooms.

5. Calidarium - hot room, heated and with a hot-water pool

and a separate basin on a stand (labrum)

6. Tepidarium - warm room, indirectly heated and with a

tepid pool.
7. Frigidarium - cool room, unheated and with a cold-water
basin, often monumental in size and domed, it was the heart
of the baths complex.

8. Rooms for massage and other health treatments.

Though we cannot go back in time, to where Romans basked in

the opulence of the Baths of Diocietian, we are given a glimpse to
how the Romans, as a community, would have gathered together
to enjoy life. In this they are an example to us. The tradition of
this communal gathering links as all together, in one way or
another, shaping our societies and civilizations to come.

Just like it was the case with plenty other ancient edifices, the
Baths of Diocletian decayed in time, but large parts of the site
were preserved, in particular because, in the course of history,
sections of it assumed new functions.

I hope that my story will encourage many who haven't visited

this historic country to visit it and not forget the National
Museum of Rome In order to touch the splendour of that time.