The Private Life of the RomansJohnston, Harold Whetstone
History
The Private Life of the Romans
Johnston, Harold Whetstone
Rome -- Social life and customs
§377. On the east are the baths proper, the men's to the south. There
were two _apodytēria_ (_24_, _25_) for the men, each with a separate
waiting-room for the slaves (_26_, _27_) with a door to the street.
Then come in order the _frīgidārium_ (_22_), the _tepidārium_ (_23_),
and the _caldārium_ (_21_). The _tepidārium_, contrary to custom, had
a cold bath as explained in §370. The main entrance to the women's
bath was at the northeast (_17_), but there was also an entrance from
the northwest through the long corridor (_15_), both opening into the
_apodytērium_ (_16_). This contained in one corner a cold bath, there
being no separate _frīgidārium_ in the baths for women. Then come in
the regular position the _tepidārium_ (_18_) and _caldārium_ (_19_).
The furnace (_20_) was between the two _caldāria_, and the position of
the three kettles (§368) which furnished the water is clearly shown.
It should be noticed that there was no _lacōnicum_. It is possible
that one of the waiting-rooms for men (_24_) may have been used as an
_ūnctōrium_. The ruins show that the rooms were most artistically
decorated and there can be no doubt that they were luxuriously
furnished. The colonnades and the large waiting-rooms gave ample space
for the lounge after the bath, which the Roman prized so highly.
[Illustration: FIGURE 176. BATHS OF DIOCLETIAN]
§378. Baths of Diocletian.--The irregularity of plan and the waste of
space in the Pompeian _thermae_ just described are due to the fact
that it was rebuilt at various times with all sorts of alterations and
additions. Nothing can be more symmetrical than the _thermae_ of the
later emperors, as a type of which is shown in Fig. 176 the plan of
the Baths of Diocletian, dedicated in 305 A.D. They lay on the east
side of the city and were the largest and with the exception of those
of Caracalla the most magnificent of the Roman baths. The plan shows
the arrangement of the main rooms, all in the line of the minor axis
of the building; the uncovered _piscīna_ (1), the _apodytērium_ and
_frīgidārium_ (2), combined as in the women's baths at Pompeii, the
_tepidārium_ (3), and the _caldārium_ (4) projecting beyond the other
rooms for the sake of the sunshine. The uses of the surrounding halls
and courts can not now be determined, but it is clear from the plan
that nothing was omitted known to the luxury of the time. An idea of
the magnificence of the central room may be had from Fig. 169 (§365),
showing the corresponding room in the Baths of Caracalla.
CHAPTER X
TRAVEL AND CORRESPONDENCE. BOOKS
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