Ancient Roman thermal baths - design, features of use, effects on the body

What is Ancient Rome famous for? The reckless schoolboy immediately recalls the gladiator fights and the uprising of Spartacus, inspired not so much by history textbooks, which were used with a firm hand on rolling cigarettes back in the fifth grade, but by bright films of Hollywood masters. People with a serious academic education certainly mention Roman private law, which in many ways served as the basis for the modern continental legal system. Champions of truth and justice are very impressed by Roman justice. The judge carried out the process, sitting on a chair neatly covered with the skin of his predecessor, executed for bribes, and in the most intimate part of his body he felt full responsibility in making only a fair decision or sentence. What about the Roman baths? Oh, this is generally a legendary phenomenon, which everyone remembers and which, in its original standard form, is unlikely to appear in world history. Although…

"Contents" of Roman baths: what's inside?

A classic Roman bath consists of many rooms with different temperatures and humidity. There must have been:

• apodytherium - cool locker room
• tepidarium - a warm room with a temperature of 37-40°C and moderate humidity up to 40%
• callidarium – a hot and humid room with a temperature of 45-50°C and humidity up to 100%
• laconium is a dry steam room (the climate is similar to a Finnish sauna), in which the temperature reaches 80°C and the humidity does not exceed 15-20%
• frigidarium - a cold room with two pools (with warm and cold water - for contrast bathing)
• Lavarium – room for massage, cosmetic and hygiene procedures

The listed premises were only the basis of the Roman baths. Since the Roman baths in Ancient Rome almost immediately after their appearance became a center for leisure activities, the contents of the baths began to expand. Sports halls, libraries, massage rooms, theater halls, and dining areas (analogous to modern restaurants) appeared here. All this contributed to the fact that a person could come to the baths and stay there for the whole day - there is a lot of entertainment!

The pinnacle of engineering – communications in thermals

The operation of the thermal baths was based on the use of thermal water (heated by nature itself to 37-40°C). It was supplied to the bathhouse through a system of pipes running under the walls and heated the room. At the same time, in the basement, under the floor, there was a stove (or hearth) and a boiler with water. The water in the boiler was constantly boiling and steam was formed, which escaped through holes in the walls into the steam baths. To prevent the floor from being scalding due to the heat of the furnace located directly underneath, it was made double.

People came to the thermal baths to relax and enjoy life, and everything contributed to this: the suitable climate in the rooms, their diversity, and the gradual transition from low to high temperatures and vice versa. This regime of bath procedures, when a person first gets into a slightly warmed room (tepidarium), then into a hotter one (callidarium), and only then into a steam room (laconium), helps prevent temperature stress for the body. After laconium, it is also necessary to cool down gradually: first plunge into a pool with warm water (37°C), and then with cold water (12°C). Due to the absence of sharp contrasts, the human body does not become dehydrated and in real Roman baths there is no feeling of dry mouth or an irresistible desire to drink.

The splendor and luxury of Roman baths

The baths personified the luxury of the Roman Empire. Pools and sun loungers were made of marble, walls and floors were lined with mosaics, washstands were made of natural stone or precious metals - gold and silver.

Despite the luxury of the Roman baths, the entrance fee for visiting was quite affordable. Both rich people and poor people came here - the baths erased the boundaries of social classes and allowed them to communicate on equal terms.

Sophisticated heating system

The development of ancient technology in the Roman Empire reached its peak. As a rule, public baths occupied one of the central places in each city, and crowds of people rested in them almost around the clock. How did the ancient craftsmen manage to maintain a constantly high temperature in the steamy rooms of the Roman baths, without modern heating systems?

Two methods helped to cope with this difficult task. The first was based on the fact that the main requirement for choosing a site for the construction of a future public bath was the presence of a thermal spring. In Italy there are no problems with this, and therefore in Rome alone in ancient times, during the heyday of the empire, there were more than a thousand public and private Roman baths. But this requirement was strictly fulfilled in any country where Roman rule extended. For example, in the English city of Bath, a working example of Roman baths built on a hot thermal spring has survived to this day.

Thanks to the use of thermal water, heated by nature itself, the Romans had the opportunity to relax in baths with constantly warm water. The temperature in the baths and hot pools was always around forty degrees. Thermal water was supplied to the premises using a system of special pipes passing behind the walls. This additionally heated the walls of the bathhouse and made it possible to maintain a comfortable warm air temperature in the rooms.

The second important point in maintaining high temperatures in Roman baths was the complex system of thermal channels that ran under the floor and walls of the building - the hypocaust. They adjoined the basement, which housed a huge furnace. This stove was heated with wood or coal. The choice of fuel depended on the kind of steam needed to be produced. Coal was used for dry steam, and wood for wet steam. Moreover, the ancient Roman craftsmen used specially treated firewood, which did not produce smoke. To do this, the wood was first soaked for a long time in olive oil or plain water and dried. Steam from the stove traveled through thermal channels in the floor and walls, heating them.

The floor and walls were of a special design that allowed them to retain heat for a long time, releasing it to the room gradually and evenly. For example, the floor consisted of layers of bricks, mortar, stones and marble slabs. This design not only effectively retained heat in the bathhouse, but also prevented the floor from heating up too much so that visitors could walk on it barefoot if they wished. Experts testify that such a heating system, when it is not the air itself that is heated, but the floor and walls, is the most beneficial for people's health.

Main differences: Roman, Finnish and Russian baths

Many peoples inhabiting the planet have their own bathing traditions. In general, we can distinguish the main most common types of baths, in particular, such as Roman baths, Finnish sauna and wood-fired bath.

Roman baths

The main feature that determined the character of the Roman baths was geographical, to which they owe their name: they were built on thermal springs. The presence of natural hot water relieved the Romans of the need to constantly heat it. Passing under the floor and walls, heating them, the water entered the pools.

There was, however, a boiler located under the floor of the steam rooms and ensuring constant generation of steam in them. A simplified variation of modern thermal baths can be called the more widespread Turkish hammam today, where the body warms up not only due to steam, but also walls and stone sun loungers, the humidity is average between a sauna and a wood-burning bathhouse, and the temperature is lower than in a Russian steam room, not to mention about Finnish. Due to this, thermal baths and their variations can be recommended to those for whom sauna and steam baths are contraindicated. However, even before visiting them, consulting a doctor will not be superfluous.

Finnish sauna

The word “sauna” is translated into Russian from Finnish as “bathhouse”. However, due to the specifics of the very content of this attribute of the Finnish tradition, it has taken root in our country as a designation for this particular type of bathhouse. The key features of the sauna are high (80-1400) temperature and low (no more than 15-30%) humidity. This also leads to the use of dry rather than wet steam in a Finnish bath. Attempts to create high humidity in a sauna are fraught with steam burns; for the same reason, it is undesirable to use such an attribute of a Russian bath as a broom in dry and hot air. A sauna is preferable to, say, a bath or thermal baths, where the humidity can also reach 100%; for those who do not tolerate high humidity well, people suffering from respiratory diseases feel comfortable in it. In modern saunas, an electric heater is most often used. However, the classic version assumed, as in the case of a Russian bathhouse, heating with wood.

Russian bath

A classic Russian wood-fired bath is characterized by high humidity and a temperature lower than in a sauna and higher than in Roman baths. Steam, unlike thermal baths, is not supplied from under the floor, under which a boiler with boiling water is installed, but is formed as a result of applying water or various aromatic mixtures to hot stones, which provide additional healing effects on the body. A mandatory attribute of a Russian wood-fired bathhouse is a broom, the touch of which on the body not only enhances the effects of steam and high temperature, but also has an additional effect that helps improve blood circulation and rejuvenate the skin. In general, the Russian bath is considered the most powerful in terms of healing effects on the body, but, of course, in the absence of contraindications for visiting it.

A real wood-burning bathhouse - a steam room with a jacuzzi and a relaxation room in our hotel and health complex on Sofievskaya Borshchagovka, Kyiv.

Price - 200 UAH/hour. Find out about current promotions now.

Address st. Sobornaya (Lenina) 13D,

Tel. +38, +38, +38 (067) 559-45-56

Main differences: Roman, Finnish and Russian baths

Differences between Roman, Finnish and Russian baths - VIKEY hotel and health complex | +38, +38

Features of water supply

Of the ten most famous ancient Roman baths, nine were built on mineral water springs. Hot water, almost 70 o C, saturated with minerals and salts, was used as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent, and for bathing and washing.

Hot water flowed through channels and pipes isolated from the ground, so it entered the baths almost unchanged, without contamination by soil bacteria and humus.

There was plenty of water, and it was changed almost daily, both in the pools and in the shallow baths. Water was especially emphasized for aromatherapy, therapeutic massage and the prevention of joint diseases.

In the Roman baths there were warm baths with dissolved sea salt. Visiting such clinics, like aromatherapy, was quite an expensive activity.

Phytosaunas

Today, phytosaunas have become quite widespread. Among their features, we note the following points:

1. This design combines the effects of steam and saturated medicinal herbs.
2. The structure is made of Siberian cedar; the substances released from this wood have a beneficial effect.
3. Quite often, a steam line is connected to the structure, through which a healing herbal infusion is supplied.
4. The steam temperature is maintained in the range from 25 to 55 degrees Celsius. Due to this, the procedure can be carried out over a long period, which determines the long-term beneficial effects of steam.
5. Steam circulates freely throughout the system, thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of this procedure. To do this, the design has a compressor that creates pressure to circulate steam in the system.
6. Wood cedar produces phytoncides that can fight various microorganisms. That is why the procedure has an antiseptic effect.

The design of most phytosaunas allows the use of both dry decoction and various balms. Due to this, the degree of beneficial effects of the procedure can increase.

In conclusion, we note that there are indications and contraindications for prescribing the bath procedure. Among the indications we note:

1. Diseases of the upper tract.
2. Problems with the musculoskeletal system.
3. Exudative diathesis.
4. Injuries of the lower extremities.
5. Primary signs of hypertension.

However, there are quite a few serious contraindications:

1. Epilepsy.
2. Various infectious diseases that affect the skin.
3. Various tumors.
4. Bleeding.
5. Blood problems.

In addition, a bath should be prescribed with caution for children or pregnant women. Heart problems are also quite often the reason why taking a bath leads to even greater problems.

There are quite a few different recommendations on how bath procedures should be carried out. So, many experts recommend gradually increasing the temperature, as well as the duration of stay in the steam room. Also, you should not jump into the pool immediately after the steam room, as a sharp temperature change has a serious effect on the body. If there are chronic health problems, air parameters should be selected individually.

Ancient Roman baths

Balneators. Roman mosaic from Villa del Casale near Piazza Armerina (Sicily). IV century n. e.

The first baths were built in Rome by Agrippa (25-19 BC), who bequeathed them for free use to the Roman population. Nero built his baths next to them on the Campus Martius (they were later repaired by Alexander Severus, which is why they are sometimes called Alexandrov’s baths). Not far from Nero's Golden House are the Baths of Titus; to the northeast of them, almost nearby, were the baths of Trajan (104-109), where women washed themselves during the reign of this emperor. Later, the Baths of Caracalla, officially called the Antonin Baths, were erected; they were located near the Appian Way, outside the Capena Gate, between the Aventine and Caelium. Between the Quirinal and Viminal lay the baths of Diocletian (298-306), occupying 13 hectares. Michelangelo turned their frigidarium into the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, which still exists today. The National Museum of Rome is also located here. Baths were also built on the territory of the Roman provinces, for example the imperial baths in Trier.

Inside, the imperial baths were made of marble, decorated with mosaics, sculptures and marble columns, windows and doors were made of bronze. The thermal baths contained the following rooms: clothes were left in the locker room ( apodyterium

), then the visitor could exercise or anoint the body with oils.
The bathing “program” began with a bath in cold water in the frigidarium
, then in lukewarm water in
the tepidarium
, and then in
the caldarium
, with warm water.

Heating system in the thermal baths

Roman bath on the canvas by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Tate Gallery, London.

Roman architects developed an efficient central heating system with heated floors and walls - hypocaustum

).
In the baths, water and air were heated using a furnace ( praefurnium
), which then circulated under the floor and in the cavities of the walls.
Double coatings were used to prevent the floor from being very hot. The top covering consisted of large bricks, a layer of broken clay and a base covering. All this was supported on small brick supports ( pilae
), which were immediately placed in a checkerboard pattern.
Rectangular bricks were built into the walls, hollow inside ( tubuli
), which were fastened with metal brackets. Inside, the walls of the baths were decorated with marble or plastered.

terms:

• Palaestra
  - a place for physical exercise
• Apodytherium
  - dressing room in Roman baths, dressing room
• Tepidarium
  - warm room
• Caldarium
  - the hottest room
  Hypocaust
  - heating system that was located under the caldarium
• Lakonik
  Labrum - swimming pool in Laconia

  (sudatorium, hypocaust) - a room where they were warmed up with dry air, with a large but not deep pool for ablution

• Propnygium
  - steam room

List of ancient Roman baths

Ancient Roman baths were built throughout the territory of the Roman Empire, but to this day they have survived, as a rule, only in the form of ruins. The best preserved are the baths of Caracalla, which were already in the 5th century AD. e. considered one of the wonders of Rome.

See also: en:List of Roman public baths

Baths of Nero, Titus and Trajan

In 64, Emperor Nero erected a grandiose structure on the Campus Martius, intended for bathing, conversation and entertainment. The thermal complex had a symmetrical layout and consisted of a central bathing sector and a series of side identical buildings for different purposes. Among the most significant premises were the halls for sports exercises.

Baths of Nero: plan of the complex and its location on the map of Ancient Rome

The Baths of Nero were located in the area between the modern Piazza della Rotonda, Via del Pozzo delle Cornacchie and Via della Dogana Vecchia. Nearby was the Domitian Stadium (on the left in the above plan), and now Piazza Navona. The complex supposedly had dimensions of 120x190 meters. According to some surviving documents, these baths in Ancient Rome were used for their intended purpose until the 5th century inclusive.

Fountain in Rome made from an antique bathtub from the Baths of Nero

In the 80s, during the reign of Emperor Titus, important architectural structures were erected in Rome, intended to entertain the population. Next to the newly erected grandiose amphitheater, which became the main entertainment venue in Rome, another baths were built. Despite the fact that nothing has survived from the complex today, we have the opportunity to see it in the drawings of 16th-century artists, which give an excellent idea that the Baths of Titus were built in the likeness of those built two decades earlier by Nero.

Plan of the thermal complex of Tita and remaining ruins

Trajan, like many other rulers of Rome, wanted his name to be remembered only from the best side. The emperor built a grand thermal complex on the Oppian Hill, where Nero's monumental residence, known as Domus Aurea, had once stood. The Baths of Trajan, whose architect was the famous Apollodorus of Damascus, were significantly superior to those that had been built earlier. In addition, the structure included a new architectural element, which was subsequently used in other Roman baths.

We are talking about a wide area surrounding the thermal complex on three sides, which could accommodate additional rooms for different purposes. The surviving documents of ancient authors testify not only to the grandeur of the structure, but also to the richness of the interior decoration of Trajan's baths. One of the most famous sculptures that decorated the premises of the complex is, discovered in 1506 and kept today in the Vatican Museums.

Model of Trajan's Baths and their location relative to Titus's Baths Part of the preserved structure of Trajan's Baths of Rome

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Baths of Diocletian

The Baths of Diocletian in Rome were the largest of all surviving baths. The Baths of Diocletian were built in 306 and were the largest and most luxurious of the imperial baths.

The project was originally commissioned by Maximian upon his return to Rome in the autumn of 298 AD. and was continued after the abdication of him and Diocletian from the throne under Constantius, the father of Constantine. Although many of the baths in and around Rome share similar features, Diocletian's Baths are unique in their size.

The Baths occupy a high position on the north-eastern summit of Viminal, the smallest of the seven hills of Rome. In order to properly supply the baths, by order of Diocletian, the water supply to the city was increased.

Regarding the terms in general, they have been described as evoking an imperial style or "classical" image, which is a style of "manipulating space". To manage space in this style, the building forms were kept simple and created the impression of a vast open space.

To create this effect, bath builders used different techniques. The outer walls of the bath were inlaid with stucco, giving the appearance of stonework. The interior of the bath was supported by vaulted ceilings and arches to create curved lines. The roof structure is an excellent example of classic design.

Family Events

The family occupied a very important place in the life of the Romans. The father was the all-powerful head of the family, which included everyone in the house - wife, children, slaves and even close relatives

In the early days of Rome, a father had absolute power over his children and could decide whether to live or die! However, Roman fathers rarely showed severity, and both parents dearly loved their children.

This Roman tombstone from Germany shows a family gathered for a meal. From the Latin inscription on it we know that it was placed by a legionnaire in memory of his deceased wife. He lovingly describes her as the “sweetest and purest” of women.

The childhood period was quite short. Parents arranged an engagement for a girl at the age of 12, and for a boy at 14. The marriages took place a few years later. Brides usually wore a red dress and a yellow cloak, with an orange veil and a wreath of fragrant flowers. A sacrifice was made to the gods, and everyone present wished the couple well-being. That same evening, a procession with burning torches and the sound of flutes accompanied the newlyweds to their home.

The funeral was also accompanied by music and processions. According to Roman law, burial and cremation had to take place outside the city walls.

A mother gently places her baby in the cradle. At birth, children were laid at the feet of their father. If he accepted a child into the family, he took him in his arms. For rich families, birth was a great joy, but for poor families it only meant another mouth to feed. The Romans named a girl on the eighth day after birth, and a boy on the ninth. The child was given a bulla, a talisman against evil spirits.

History of the Russian wood-fired bathhouse

The Russian bathhouse is famous throughout the world for its healing properties, but when and how did this miracle originate? In fact, the history of the emergence and development of the bathhouse business in Rus' is the history of the Russian people, the wealth of their soul and the culture of a healthy lifestyle, and the wood-fired bathhouse has long been a place of special energy. But first things first.

The origins of the bath business - ancient times

There are several assumptions about how the steam bath appeared - perhaps it was raindrops that accidentally fell through the roof onto a hot fireplace, or simply water that was accidentally poured onto hot stones. Moreover, the appearance of steam baths, apparently, was the next round of development of civilization, since, according to the ancient Greek historian and philosopher Herodotus (450s BC), steam baths with wood and stones began to appear among different peoples and tribes around the same time.

The same Herodotus, having visited Scythia, which in the 5th century BC. occupied the territory of the Northern Black Sea region, noted the presence of baths. These were huts that consisted of three poles connected at the top and covered with felt. Hot stones were placed in the center of such a steam room; hemp seeds were thrown onto them and water was poured over them. It is interesting that after the funeral of the dead, the Scythians necessarily underwent cleansing in the bathhouse.

The Russian bathhouse was also mentioned in the myths of the Eastern Slavs, who associated the origin of people with it. According to the chronicle of Procopius of Caesarea, a historian from Byzantium, the most important events in the life of the Slavic people were associated with the bathhouse - the first bathing of a baby after childbirth, ablution before wedding ceremonies and after death. And women gave birth in bathhouses, since it was already known then that steam softens joints, makes muscles more elastic, and speeds up and facilitates the process of giving birth to a child.

Development of Russian bath culture in the Middle Ages

Already by the 5th-6th centuries, the Russian steam bath with wood became popular among the Eastern Slavs, which confirmed the highest culture - then it was called “movnya”, “movya”, “movnitsa”, “vlaznya” and “mylnya”.

Interesting fact: the chronicles of that time say that birch brooms were one of the forms of tribute that the Slavs paid to other peoples.

Even then, not only the brooms with which the Slavs whipped each other while steaming were in full use, but also kvass was used for ablution and a cold ice hole. Such “barbaric” methods of cleansing the body shocked foreigners so much that many ancient chronicles tell of how Russians torment and torture themselves while bathing.

In the 10th-11th centuries, a wood-fired steam bath was also used in healing - many doctors and monastic healers healed the sick with a bathhouse and medicinal herbs.

Historical fact: while in Europe they washed themselves at most several times a year, in Rus', according to the regulations of the monasteries, the sick were supposed to bathe and steam 2 times a month.

However, with the advent of Christianity, the fight against paganism and its healing methods began, and the bathhouse began to be used primarily to cleanse the body.

By the 16th century, the Slavs began to make soap, and washed the body with “rough” - the ancestor of the modern washcloth, made from juniper branches, straw, etc. Lye was also used for washing, and women used honey, kvass, fermented milk products, which are still known today, for the beauty of their skin, eggs, oils.

For a long time, wood-burning saunas were heated “black”, because there was simply no chimney, but over time they began to use a “white” firebox. This is how the stove-heater appeared - it was heated in an adjacent room with a chimney.

In the bathhouse they not only steamed themselves, but also “treated” overseas ambassadors. The bath business reached a special peak under Peter I, who even ordered the construction of “healing baths.”

This is interesting: such great people as A.S. Pushkin, D.I. Mendeleev, F.I. Chaliapin, L. Tolstoy, V.A. Gilyarovsky and many others loved to steam.

And today, a Russian wood-fired bathhouse is a way to wash and heal not only the body, but also the soul. This is a symbol of a great people, an integral part of its rich culture and history.

History of the Russian wood-fired bathhouse

The Russian bathhouse is famous throughout the world for its healing properties, but when and how did this miracle originate?

Aqueducts

The aqueducts of Ancient Rome are considered the ideal water supply system of those times, a miracle of engineering! Thanks to them, water was supplied to fountains, baths, and private homes of rich people. The Romans used water for drinking, cooking, keeping clean, and public toilets were constantly flushed.

Operating principle and purpose

Essentially, aqueducts are a system of irrigation canals laid across various landscapes. Water from the source flowed into the aqueduct, from there into a special sump “castella”, and was distributed through pipes to the city. If the water supply system was not built underground, it was built into arched spans and closed at the top to keep the water clean.

The scheme is as follows: first, the end point of the water pipeline is determined, then, moving from end to beginning, they draw a map of the area, fixing the relief and choosing the optimal path. They marked the line of the future highway with wooden piles and began to prepare the area - they dug trenches, cut down trees, dug tunnels in the mountains, and built bridges. Next, block by block, the water supply was extended from the source.

In ancient Rome, 350 km of aqueducts were built and only a small part of them were underground. During the construction of waterways, pozzolanic concrete was used - a mixture of concrete with lime and volcanic ash, a strong, stable material that has allowed many aqueducts to survive to this day. In order for water to flow uninterruptedly into the city, the correct slope of the couloir was required. If the builders encountered a mountain on the way, they had to dig tunnels - the aqueduct bypassing the mountain would not have the required slope.

Famous aqueducts

Over 538 years, 11 water supply systems were built in Rome, which became an example for other countries:

1. Aqua Appia was built in 312 BC . with the support of the city rulers Appius Claudius (Apio Claudio) and Gaius Plautius (Gaio Plauzio Venoce). Appius developed a plan for the future water supply system, and Guy was engaged in research work: in the Sabine Mountains, 15 kilometers from the capital, he found a source of clean water, studied its quantity, and surveyed the population about its quality. However, all the glory went to Appius Claudius. Akwa Appia lay almost entirely underground, its length was 16 km. From the Kapen Gate began the open part of the structure, 90 meters long, which was an arched system. The water flowed all the way to the Bull Market, where it accumulated in reservoirs and spread throughout the city.
2. The 63-kilometer Anio Vetus aqueduct with a source in the Aniene River was built in 269 BC. Although at that moment it was the longest in the world, Anio Vetus became an unsuccessful project - the river became shallow in summer, water flowed with varying success, and in winter it was completely dirty, so it was used only for irrigation.

3. Aqua Marcia, 91 km long, was built in 144 BC., it was fed from several springs near the Aniene River. The Romans considered the water from this aqueduct to be the most suitable for making wine. Several centuries later, Emperor Diocletian laid another branch of the aqueduct to his baths, and Caracalla - to his.

4. Aqua Tepula, 18 km long, was built in 125 BC. The water in it was never colder than 17°, hence the name, because tepula means “warm”. In 33 BC. the commander Marcus Agrippa connected the aqueduct with another, Aqua Iulia.

5. Aqua Julia became the first under Emperor Augustus. The 23-kilometer-long highway was built by Marcus Agrippa, and connected the aqueduct with Aqua Marcia and Aqua Tepula, laying them on top of each other.

6. Agrippa became the creator of the sixth, still working aqueduct, Aqua Virgo. The underground 20-kilometer aqueduct was built in 19 BC. The name Virgo, i.e. “virgin” is associated with the myth that a young girl showed Agrippa a source of crystal clear water. Nowadays Aqua Virgo feeds the Barcaccia, Trevi and the Fountain of the Four Rivers.
7. The Aqua Alsietina aqueduct, which dates back to 2 BC, was fed by the waters of the modern lakes Bracciano and Martignano. The not entirely pure water of Alsietina was used to fill Emperor Augustus’ naumachia – artificial reservoirs for scenes of ship battles. The same aqueduct, laid through 358 arches, irrigated the gardens of Julius Caesar.
8. Aqua Claudia began to be built during the reign of Caligula and was completed in 52 AD. under Claudius. The source was the Aniene River; in parallel, the Marcha aqueduct was built, with which they were united in the Aqueduct Park (Capanelle). The total length was approximately 69 kilometers, most of which was underground. The water flow was about 190 thousand cubic meters per day or about 2.3 cubic meters per second. The monumental arch of the aqueduct became part of the Prenestine Gate (Porta Prenestina). A branch of the Claudius aqueduct called Celimontano supplied water to Nero's Golden House (Domus Aurea).

9. Anio Novus, which replaced Anio Vetus, was built at the same time as the Claudius aqueduct and shares the same sources with it.
10. Aqua Traiana was created in 109 by order of Emperor Trojan. The water pipeline was fed by the waters of the springs near Lake Bracciano and supplied it to the Trastevere region. During the wars, the aqueduct was destroyed several times, but was later restored. After restoration by Pope Paul V, the aqueduct was renamed Aqua Paola (Waters of Paul).

11. Aqua Alessandrina was built in 226 to supply water to the baths of Emperor Alexander. Part of the 22 km long aqueduct remains in the Pignattara area.

• I advise you to read about: Aqueduct Park in Rome

History brings us back Roman baths

The Roman baths were given some of the most beautiful and largest buildings and architectural complexes. They included gardens, streets, huge pools and fountains. It’s hard to imagine today, but the scale of the buildings was such that the bath structures consisted of huge pools, and just imagine: more than two thousand baths with heated water. Huge streams of hot water and steam had to flow into all bathing and massage rooms. It’s even difficult to imagine how perfect engineering communications must have been at a time when thermal power plants, state district power plants and heating plants did not exist. Ancient Roman baths - thermal baths - are not just masterpieces of architecture, but also centers for the integration of modern technologies of that historical period.

The ancient Romans didn’t just go to the baths (therms), they spent most of their time there. To prove this, we present historical facts about the technical side of the issue:

• The volume of water consumed by fountains, pools and baths is 700 million liters per day (the level of water supply in modern Moscow)
• The average volume of water consumption per one resident of Rome is 600 liters;
• For 1,300 thousand inhabitants at that time there were 860 public baths and 15 thermal baths (in this example, thermal baths are complex complexes of buildings occupying several blocks).

The most famous baths (therms) were considered to be the Baths of Caracalla, which surprise us even when considered by modern standards. In the center of this complex there was an administrative building measuring 226m x 137m. The maximum capacity of this complex was up to 3,000 people at a time. Despite this workload, ancient Roman doctors and healers conducted their medical practice in such baths. The most common disease that was banished from patients was rheumatism, not to mention colds. One of the first doctors who practiced in the baths was Claudius Galen (130-200 AD)

War is the most used method of spreading the bath business in ancient history. This has been evident since the wars of King Darius. And the Romans were no exception - they built baths in all the territories that the Roman Empire captured. It was thanks to the wars that the prototypes of therms came to modern England and France. This continued until the end of the Roman Empire. The decline of this state's world dominance was exploited by the Catholic clergy, who were against the use of baths. Thus, luxurious baths disappeared from the face of the earth due to their physical destruction.

Some historians associate this fact with the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics that took place in those days on the territory of medieval states. This is another indirect factor in proving the usefulness of baths and hot steam in comparison with ordinary baths filled with water. But the story of the baths did not end there. It continued and spread to Africa and European countries, which were captured by the Arabs.

Here the history of baths receives a new branch of development with the popular oriental hammams. The revival of the baths began in 1453 by the Turks in Constantinople (modern Istanbul). Having captured this city, the Turks opened Roman baths in it.

Roman baths are only the beginning of the great History of the bath. To be continued …

Antique baths

Most likely, even professional historians will not be able to say exactly how many years the ancient Roman baths have existed. There is no reliable information, since no one has seriously studied the history and essence of the art of building bath complexes.

Archaeologists believe that the design and idea used in the baths of ancient Rome were borrowed from Persia or Egypt, although historians most often for some reason remember the ancient Greeks, who were never strong in construction and engineering, unlike the same Arabs and Persians

Ancient Roman craftsmen and engineers are known for their talents in the field of water supply, heating and drainage, so it is not surprising that they brought the interesting idea of ​​​​an ancient Roman steam room or sauna to an unprecedented level of perfection, which is known to everyone as the Roman baths.

Construction of a Roman bath

Excavations of a Roman bath

The structure of the Roman bath is a skillful, intricate system of rooms, each of which performed a special function. Just as the theater begins with a coat rack, the Roman bath begins with a dressing room.

Apoditherium is a cool room, with a temperature of 20-24°C, upon entering which a person not only takes off his clothes. Here he leaves worries, sorrows and failures in anticipation of pleasures.

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Next he was greeted by a warm room with a temperature of 35-40°C, called a tepidarium. Here, in conditions of moderate humidity of about 40%, a person warmed up, relaxed, and prepared for more radical procedures and pleasures.

It should be recognized that the principle of gradualism used in the Roman bath has a beneficial effect on the body, promotes its cleansing and activation of regeneration processes.

The third room into which the visitor found himself was called the callidarium. Here the temperature was maintained at 45°-59°C, under conditions of 100% humidity the body was cleansed, sweating worked, and the person washed himself, preparing to enter the steam room.

Laconium, the name of the ancient Roman steam room, with a temperature of 80°C, humidity of 12-15%, every lover of strong, dry sauna steam knows what sensations the laconium gave its visitors.

A person experienced special pleasure at the moment when, after the steam room, he plunged into the coolness of the pool. The Romans had two swimming pools, they were located in a room called the frigidarium. Pampered bodies first fell into warm water, and only then fell into the contrast of cold water.

Then the citizens of Rome went to the lavarium, a room intended for cosmetic and hygienic activities and massage. Refreshed and rejuvenated citizens remained in the thermal baths all day; the leisure facilities offered here in libraries, dining rooms, and gyms were so good that they still evoke the poorly concealed envy of our contemporaries.

The path of earthly bliss

This is primarily the so-called apodytherium, which was a cool dressing room, where it was pleasant to enter from the street, filled with the heat of the day. Next came the tepidarium - a warm room, the temperature in which did not exceed 40 °C. The humidity in it was moderate and equal to 40%.

From there, the visitor entered the callidarium, where the air temperature increased significantly and reached approximately 50 ° C, and the humidity was 100%, and from there, fairly steamed and softened, he passed into a dry steam room - laconium. According to the climate established in it, it was similar to a modern Finnish sauna. At a fairly high temperature, reaching 80°, humidity did not exceed 20%.

Further, in the next room, called the “frigidarium,” two pools filled with warm and cold water awaited this darling of the pagan gods. They performed what today is called contrast bathing. And the crown of the entire bath cycle was lavrium. There, in the hands of skilled masseurs, he was to taste truly heavenly bliss.

Modern options

Ancient Roman baths are an example for all modern baths. The Greek traditions of bathing in the baths that came to Rome spread throughout the world. We must not forget that the Roman Empire was one of the most powerful powers, which conquered territories and conquered peoples, spreading its culture to other states of Europe and Asia. The culture of Rome is unthinkable without its baths.

Ancient Roman emperors built baths everywhere. That's how they got to us. Even today there is an opportunity to plunge into their fabulous atmosphere. This can be done on a grand scale in large spa salons, fitness centers, hotels, resorts in Italy (thermal springs in Montecatini and Abano Terme are popular).

Such baths consist of a steam room, a frigidarium-type room and additional places for various health and beauty treatments. For example, in every real Roman bath there are rooms for massage, chromotherapy, etc. Elite salons that are at least somewhat concerned about reputation are trying to make their baths worthy successors to the ancient Roman baths, so they are trying to create baths that are similar to the “ancestors” in terms of microclimate conditions , and decoration of premises.

The steam room is an analogue of a callidarium. It is equipped with seats and sun loungers. The temperature in this room is 40-60°C, humidity is 100%. The modern frigidarium is a room with two swimming pools. In one the water will be cold, in the other it will be hot. Ancient Roman design style - mosaics, frescoes and other sophisticated decorative elements. They are trying to recreate all this today. Panels, fountains, and marble can also be found in modern baths in Rome. Modern baths are built on a slightly smaller scale. Saunas and baths with jacuzzi can be small in size so that they can be used by only a few people or even one.

If a wood-burning stove is chosen for the bathhouse, then constant monitoring of the operation and the stability of heat and moisture indicators is required. The temperature in the sauna is maintained at 60-100°C, humidity is 10-13%.

After steaming in such conditions, they usually move to a cooler room. The latest invention is infrared heated saunas. The temperature inside such a cabin is about 60 degrees, the air is not too hot, the heat is radiated by the wall panels. Jacuzzi (countercurrent) is a massage and relaxation of the body with water flows, stimulating the activation of metabolism.

Thermal baths and modernity

Roman bath, what is it in the modern sense? Firstly, it must be said that it is theoretically quite possible to reproduce the classics in their original form, but in practice it is very expensive. The complexity is not so much in the extensive set of different functional areas with different conditions that must be clearly supported. With the current level of technology this is not difficult. It is not easy to equip a room with a set of attributes of the Roman classics: marble tables, loungers, mosaic panels, statues and columns in the classical Roman style from the heyday of the Empire. It is not easy to build and maintain a cascade of flow-type pools. In conditions of private ownership, all this, although feasible, is unrealistic.

Recreation centers, sanatoriums and developed health centers are another matter. In this case, a structure such as a sauna - Roman baths will be very appropriate and in demand. Naturally, the administration will put up with a high level of both initial and ongoing costs, and visitors, as a result, will put up with high prices. And, of course, a library in a modern thermal bath will look like an anachronism.

Design and mechanism of operation

The Roman bath, built according to the classical design, has three types of rooms for bath procedures. Firstly, this is a tepidarium, in which the air is heated to 40°C with low humidity. Visitors enter here from a separate locker room and undergo acclimatization.

Heating system for sauna rooms

Secondly, it is a slightly hotter caldarium, at 50°C and 100% humidity. In fact, this is an analogue of the Turkish hammam. Next comes laconium at 80°C and 15% humidity, this is a real sauna.

There is also a room for relaxation and massage and an extension to the sauna - a frigidarium, which has at least two pools, with cold and warm water.

The original Roman baths were heated by a separate stove; hot air was blown through natural draft through channels in the walls, so inside the sauna or even tepidarium there was always clean air, without the smell of insulation or old water and condensation on the walls.

Cleanliness and hygiene

Perhaps not all Romans were in good health, but they took care of their cleanliness. There were public toilets with running water, and people went to public baths regularly. Most cities, even military camps on the borders of the Empire, had public baths.

People went to the baths not only to wash themselves. Here we met with friends and discussed news during breaks between swimming in the pools. Other visitors were exercising, playing ball, or simply relaxing. Businessmen even held business meetings here. Men and women used separate rooms or visited the baths at different times. Slaves brought bath towels and sandals with wooden soles. It was impossible to walk in the baths without sandals, since in many rooms the floor was hot and there was a heating system underneath it.

The Romans used olive oil instead of soap. They rubbed themselves with oil and scrubbed with a curved metal spatula, the so-called strigil. The oil was kept in a small vessel like this, to which two strigils were attached with chains.

Ancient baths - structural features

The typical structure of ancient Roman baths involved a sequential arrangement of bathing rooms. Before entering the thermal complex, it was necessary to go through the apodyterium - a room used as a dressing room. It contained stone benches, and in the walls there were special niches where personal belongings could be left. The locker room was followed by rooms with moist heated air, intended to prepare vacationers for further procedures. After this, bathers found themselves in the calidarium (from the Latin calidus - “hot”) - a hall for taking hot baths. The room could have a round or rectangular shape. Baths, as a rule, were installed along its perimeter. In some thermal baths, the calidarium had one large bath in the central part of the room. The floor and walls were heated using a unique steam heating system - hypocaust. The air in the calidaruim was hot and humid. The room itself was located in the southern or southwestern part of the complex, which made it possible to additionally use solar heat to warm the room. It is not known exactly what the temperature in the calidarium was, but according to researchers, it most likely did not exceed 50-55 °C.

The room next to the calidarium was called tepidarium (from the Latin tepidus - “warm”). This room was smaller than the previous one, it contained baths with warm water, and the air temperature was maintained at an average temperature. The tepidarium was intended to gradually cool the body and prepare it for subsequent water procedures. After the tepidarium came the frigidarium (from the Latin frigídus - “cold”), equipped with small baths with cold water. This hall opened onto a wide swimming pool - natatio - the final point of the bathing cycle. After this, visitors to the Roman baths moved to the rooms located on the sides of the central axis of the thermal complex. Among them, the main role was played by gyms: large courtyards intended for physical activity

In addition, the Romans paid great attention to all kinds of body care procedures. The thermal baths housed massage rooms and rooms for anointing with oils.

In addition to the above halls, the structure of the thermal complex included halls for reflection, conversation and relaxation. Almost every health center had a library. On the territory of such grandiose complexes as the Baths of Caracalla or Domitian, one could see small theaters, trading shops, gardens with fountains and alleys, monumental sculptures and much more.

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Baths of Caracalla: history and description

4Thermal Baths of Caracalla

The construction dates back to the 3rd century AD. By examining them, one can obtain the most complete picture of the scale with which the construction of the imperial baths was carried out. Even the ruins look so majestic that one can rather assume that they belong to a palace that was built here in the past, but certainly not to a public bathhouse.

The area of ​​this complex is approximately over 150,000 square meters, while the area of ​​the thermal premises available here is approximately 30,000 square meters in total.

At the same time, 2000 people could visit the baths of Caracalla.

The list of services is quite extensive, in particular:

• steam rooms and swimming pools
• stadium
• theater
• terraces and gardens for walks and outdoor recreation
• massage rooms
• gymnastics rooms, etc.

Marble was used to decorate all buildings. In addition, sculptures and sophisticated mosaics were used as decoration.

Baths of Caracalla

You can see these baths on the street of Rome with the same name, Via delle Terme di Caracalla. You can get here by metro. Circo Massimo is the station where you need to get off.

In order to avoid long queues at the entrance to the Baths of Caracalla, we buy tickets in advance online here .

Roman baths: from antiquity to the present day

In the modern world, traditions laid down in ancient times have received a new embodiment. All over the world there are a huge number of health and entertainment complexes built on their basis, where everyone can relax, unwind after work, and at the same time relieve stress and have a good time.

An example of this is the Khvalynskie Baths, a complex located in the city of Khvalynsk, Saratov region. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that there is an open-air heated swimming pool at the disposal of vacationers. It is difficult to convey what pleasure awaits those who plunge into its waters in winter after skiing on the surrounding slopes.

In addition to winter swimming, Khvalynskie Terme offers a sauna located on its territory, designed for one hundred people, or a steam bath in a Russian bathhouse with the obligatory birch brooms, as well as aromatic tea poured from a samovar. Those who wish to cleanse themselves not only in body but also in soul are not forgotten.

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The Roman baths, known throughout the world since ancient times, did not appear in Rome. The culture of ablutions in public places appeared in Ancient Greece, which in turn was borrowed from the Egyptians. Rome built public baths, which could be used by both rich citizens and ordinary residents.

Baths of Caracala today

Modern baths

Modern Roman baths, unfortunately, do not have much in common with their ancient predecessors. They retained some of their typical features, but at the same time greatly reduced the scale and principle of heating the room. Even in this case, modern baths are more likely to be part of a hotel complex or spa salon, rather than a private property. Complexes that include thermal baths are more common in Western Europe (Germany, Switzerland) than in the territories of the former Union. Modern thermal baths are not a cheap pleasure, because they must have several rooms with different temperatures and varying degrees of air humidity, and there must be at least 2 pools of sufficient size so that you can not only plunge into them, but also swim a little. In the classic version, marble, natural stone, and mosaic should be used for cladding the thermal baths. Otherwise, the room will not only not be very aesthetically pleasing, but also not meet heat conservation standards.

A real thermal bath should also have heated marble loungers, a fountain or at least a source of thermal water. Therefore, it is difficult to build a real thermae, and technically this cannot be implemented everywhere. Therefore, relatively low-cost solutions, which can be called thermal with a large degree of convention, are becoming increasingly widespread.