Baths and Bathing in Classical Antiquity (Architectural History Foundation Books) [Paperback]

Fikret Yegul makes the assertion that baths and bathing in the ancient Roman world were an integral part of daily life for a multitude of reasons: social activity, hygenic and intellectual. It was not uncommon for baths to contain reading rooms, lecture rooms and libraries. The baths helped to unite the Roman world in a unique fashion. These structures were adaptable to various cultural settings and tastes. Consequently the habit spread from one end of the Roman world to the next. In the west there was remarkable experimentation with design, shapes and planning. This book makes the Roman day make sense and sheds new light on the intellectual leanings of the Romans.

Bene lava a Roman would say while scurrying off to the bath. Fikret informs us that a Roman would refresh not only their body with waters of different temperatures, steam rooms and massage rooms but also their mind. Bathe a Roman would do at least once a day. At the bath an ordinary Roman would experience a variety of opportunities: a dip in a cold pool, immersion in a tepid pool or in a hot pool or even spend time in a steam room. All the while there were opportunities to watch roving jugglers, short skits or poetry readings in a lecture hall. Roving vendors for food and bath supplies wandered about. There were parks and libraries in the large baths. Plenty of room and places for peace and quiet to read, relax and discuss. There were exercise grounds for mild or strenuous exercise. Some teachers held class at the baths. Not only were the baths designed with places suitable for teaching but rooms such as that for the cold pool (frigidarium) had displays of famous sculpture. In the bath complex of Agrippa there were 300 plus statues throughout. Elaborate fountains sent water cascading over statuary and fine, rare marbles. The baths were not religious centers; these were open to all; a place to refresh, relax and restore the intellect and body: mens sana in corpore sano.

A temple complex required certain adherence to time honored rules of design. This was not so with the baths. Thus these became places for experimentation and creativity. Vaults and domes reigned supreme. It is as though some architects took paper in hand, grabbed a compass and began experimenting. Imagine a building as a very large rectangle divided up into several very large rooms. A roman architect would with compass and ruler in hand break up that building into pieces, make each room a dome or an octagonal room or a vaulted room of varying lengths, size and height. Then each of these new buildings he would rearrange into an intelligent and visually appealing pattern which would enhance the bathing experience. And accommodate more efficiently larger numbers of people than the original large rectangular building.

Fikret discusses with clarity all of these issues. He also covers attitudes toward baths, bathing morality and a wide range of issues.