Roman Baths Flashcards
how many roman baths were in service in Rome?
nearly 1000
Which emperor constructed baths which could hold 1600 people?
Caracalla
Who were bathing facilities available to?
free romans of all classes
Why were public baths vital to keeping away disease and keeping the population healthy?
because most people did not have bathing facilites at home
Why were public baths very cheap to visit?
baths were subsided by the state
when would men tend to go to the baths?
after working in the morning they would visit the baths in the afternoon
What did many baths have for people to work out?
an exercise ground where people might work out or play games
Why was the baths a focal point of Roman social life?
because it was place where people went to see and be seen
How would wealthy men show up to the baths and why?
Wealthy men would arrive at the baths accompanied by a following of freed men and slaves in a show of power and status
How were the baths used by less affluent men?
used by the less affluent as a place to latch onto their social superiors, hoping to get an invitation to dinner that day
At it’s simplest form what were baths used for?
a place to meet up with friends and relax
What would normally be attached onto baths complexes?
shops attached to them where people could buy snacks
\What would happen in a public bath if there were not specific facilities for men and women?
if there were no such separate facilities,
men and women would typic ally bathe at different times of the day, with women bathing in the morning and men in the after noon
how much did it usually cost to use a roman bath?
a few quadrans the smallest coin in roman currency
What is the latin name for the changing room?
apodyterium
What is the latin name for the exercise ground?
palaestra
What is the latin name for the warm room?
tepidarium
What is the latin name for the hot room?
caldarium
What is the latin name for the cold room
frigidarium
what games were played in the palaestra? (what were their latin names)
snatch-ball- ‘harpastum’ -similar to piggy in the middle
What are other things that men in the palaestra would play?
-men fencing against a post,
-others of men wrestling with one another
-while there even seems to have been a form of tennis played with the hand
What would more extensive baths houses include?
-sweat room, similar to a sauna
-a swimming pool
What is the order of rooms a person visiting the baths would follow?
tepidarium or caldarium then frigidarium
What would happen to a person visiting the baths after going through the tepidarium and caldarium?
he would have oil rubbed all over his body
Why was oil rubbed over the body after sweat built up?
Soap was unknown to the Romans, and so olive oil was used to wash the body
What was the purpose of the warmer rooms?
The hot atmosphere of the room opened up the pores of his skin, allowing the oil to penetrate thoroughly
What would be done to the oil on the body after oil had been rubbed all over it?
it was scraped off with dirt picked up using a strigil (a curved blade)
what was the purpose of the colder rooms in the baths?
He would then head to the cold plunge- pool of the frigidarium, where the cold water closed the pores of his skin, so
completing the cleansing process
How were warm rooms heated?
design process that blasted hot air into gaps under the floor and behind the walls
the floor was raised above the ground by pillars and spaces were left inside the walls so that hot air and smoke from a nearby could pass through these enclosed areas
What was the system of artificial heating in roman baths known as?
hypocaust
What room was located closest to the furnace and why?
The caldarium would be located
nearest to the furnace, since it required the most heat
when were The Central Baths of Herculaneum built?
late 1st century BC
What else were The Central Baths of Herculaneum known as?
forum baths
What are some key features of the The Central Baths of Herculaneum?
a separate suite of baths for men and women
What is the significance of The Central Baths of Herculaneum?
a very good example of a bath house with separate bathing areas for men and women, as well as a palaestra
what was the general difference between the men’s and women’s sections in the central baths of Herculaneum?
the men’s sections of the baths are bigger and more extensive than the women’s section
How was the women’s section similar to the men’s in The Central Baths of Herculaneum?
It had a similar structure, including an apodyterium and a tepidarium with a Triton mosaic.
What feature ran along three sides of the men’s apodyterium in The Central Baths of Herculaneum ?
a marble bench
What were the two basins in the apodyterium used for in The Central Baths of Herculaneum ?
One for washing feet (lower one) and the marble one for washing hands (larger basin).
What image was depicted in the mosaic of the tepidarium in The Central Baths of Herculaneum?
A Triton with sea serpent legs surrounded by four dolphins
What was the large round marble basin in the caldarium at the Central Baths at Herculaneum used for?
For bathers to splash cold water on their faces or bodies if they became too hot.
Why did the women not have a frigidarium at the Central Baths at Herculaneum?
women cooled down by leaving the baths and heading into the open air
