Today we ventured out of Rome to visit a city full of ancient ruins, Ostia Antica, dates back all the way to as early at 4 B.C. (Before Christ). During our tour, we saw an uncountable number archaeological excavations. In additional to this we had many presentations today. One was about Roman funerals and burials, Roman Theaters, Roman Bath Houses. My presentation was on the roman bath houses. Going into this trip, I had no idea what a ' Roman bath house' was.
*Picture above: Is a ruin of a sarcophagus found in the city of Ostia Anitica.
Ancient Roman Bath Houses (Modern Day Community Center)
Ancient Roman Bath Houses were elaborate gardens, stadiums for sport, libraries and arcades where Romans caught up on the latest gossip.
Ancient Roman Bath Houses (Modern Day Community Center)
Ancient Roman Bath Houses were elaborate gardens, stadiums for sport, libraries and arcades where Romans caught up on the latest gossip.
*This picture is taken of a ruin of the Roman Bath House in Ostia Anitica. The floor is made in mosaic. Mosaic is hundreds of small pieces of ceramic like materials. It takes countless hours to assemble.
In ancient times a Roman would enter a bath house, usually on a regular basis, depending on finances maybe even everyday. Once they enter they strip off their clothes and hand them to an attendant and begin the bathing process.
First they would go into a hot chamber to encourage sweating, this was place was called a Sudatoria. After being in a Sudatoria for around 20-30 minutes. They then would go into a larger room with hot tubs of water, which were called Calidariums. After going through the heating process, an ancient version of a skin cleanser would be massage into the visitors body.
Then a Roman would enter the Tepidarium a room with moderate heat. This way they gradually work down their body heat, to ensure they don't put their body into shock, before they enter the Frigidarium, which was ice cold water.
Originally, the bath houses were open for men and woman to use simultaneously, but later they mandated that woman must bathe before the men. However, the other areas of the bath house were co-ed areas.
*This picture shows the different kinds of building materials used by the ancient Romans. The black block is actually made mostly from coal. The red bricks, as we know them, are actually Roman bricks. Romans bricks are traditionally skinny in width and trianglular.
FACTS
-Water had to be constantly heated. 640 kilometers (or approximately 397.44) miles of aqueducts in order to keep a constant flow of water in the bath house
-Roman Baths were not free, but they were inexpensive
-existed since 2nd Century B.C.
-A Romans work day began at sunrise and was being completed at around noon; this was about the time the bath house were being occupied
-Children were not permitted
-The Baths of Carcalla, the 2nd largest bath complex in ancient Rome, were built between 212 and 219 A.D. By Emperor Marcus Aurelious Antoninus, known by his nickname, Carcalla.
*These stones above are acutally found all throughout the city of Ostia Antica.
The are fairly large compared to the ones we are used to here in Rome. They were quite slipperly and hard to walk on because they were very uneven. I personally spent more time, looking down at my feet, than looking around at the ruins today. I was constanstly rolling my ankles.
In ancient times a Roman would enter a bath house, usually on a regular basis, depending on finances maybe even everyday. Once they enter they strip off their clothes and hand them to an attendant and begin the bathing process.
First they would go into a hot chamber to encourage sweating, this was place was called a Sudatoria. After being in a Sudatoria for around 20-30 minutes. They then would go into a larger room with hot tubs of water, which were called Calidariums. After going through the heating process, an ancient version of a skin cleanser would be massage into the visitors body.
Then a Roman would enter the Tepidarium a room with moderate heat. This way they gradually work down their body heat, to ensure they don't put their body into shock, before they enter the Frigidarium, which was ice cold water.
Originally, the bath houses were open for men and woman to use simultaneously, but later they mandated that woman must bathe before the men. However, the other areas of the bath house were co-ed areas.
*This picture shows the different kinds of building materials used by the ancient Romans. The black block is actually made mostly from coal. The red bricks, as we know them, are actually Roman bricks. Romans bricks are traditionally skinny in width and trianglular.
FACTS
-Water had to be constantly heated. 640 kilometers (or approximately 397.44) miles of aqueducts in order to keep a constant flow of water in the bath house
-Roman Baths were not free, but they were inexpensive
-existed since 2nd Century B.C.
-A Romans work day began at sunrise and was being completed at around noon; this was about the time the bath house were being occupied
-Children were not permitted
-The Baths of Carcalla, the 2nd largest bath complex in ancient Rome, were built between 212 and 219 A.D. By Emperor Marcus Aurelious Antoninus, known by his nickname, Carcalla.
*These stones above are acutally found all throughout the city of Ostia Antica.
The are fairly large compared to the ones we are used to here in Rome. They were quite slipperly and hard to walk on because they were very uneven. I personally spent more time, looking down at my feet, than looking around at the ruins today. I was constanstly rolling my ankles.
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