Evidence provided for everyday life focusing on: BATHS Pompeii and Herculaneum Main Menu Continue

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Use Of baths  The baths at both Pompeii and Herculaneum were gathering spots open to the public and for the rich to socialize.  There are four different parts to a complete bath, each having a specific purpose. ApodyteriumFrigidarium Hypocausts Caldarium What were the baths used for?

Apodyterium The apartment at the entrance of the baths, or in the palestra, where one stripped; a dressing room.The apartment at the entrance of the baths, or in the palestra, where one stripped; a dressing room. Women's ApodyteriumWomen's ApodyteriumWomen's ApodyteriumWomen's Apodyterium Generally had lockers in in this room but were would be marked with sexual symbols because most of the population would be illiterateGenerally had lockers in in this room but were would be marked with sexual symbols because most of the population would be illiterate

This was coldest room in the regular sequence of bathing rooms. Architecturally, the room varied in design and dimensions. The earliest forms are represented in the small, isolated rotundas given over entirely to cold plunge pools found in the baths of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The frigidarium, a circular pool that once contained frigid water.

Hypocausts It would of taken till around midday until the furnaces would be fully stoked with hot air circulating around underneath the marble.

Caldarium This was hottest room in regular sequence of bathing rooms. It is described in detail by Vitruvius and mentioned by Pliny who terms it a cella caldaria. Sidonius Apollinaris uses the term cella coctilium, the "room of the dry wood (for burning)." It's form and function have been fully studied by modern scholars such as Nielsen and Yegul.

Reasons why they look like that Style of baths The baths at both Pompeii and Herculaneum were designed for a specific purpose. Every bit of construction had a purpose for the overall picture.

The room had only one opening and one source of natural light. The opening was situated on the dome of the roof as it would let in natural light and because the Frigidarium was a cool room, when it rained natural water could fall and cool down individuals. Because people were having baths, generally they would want privacy and that is why there is only one window like feature. Because it was situated upon the roof people couldn’t pry into the activities of bathers. The baths was a cool room in which people could socialise and cool down. There are social aspects to the the circular design as it would include all people to the conversation therefore making people equals.

Gradually the room evolved into to the colossal cross-vaulted central chambers of the imperial thermae. The modern visitor, entering the basilica on a hot summer's day, can immediately feel the effect of the high roofs and windows, developed to have that exact cooling effect have had high roofs exactly for this effect. Occasionally, changing rooms doubled as frigidarium, when cold pools were provided in them. The grooves on the roof was made to keep condensation from dripping on bathers.

Many different types of frescos and mosaics are situated around all types of baths. This could be a form of education or advertising as suggested by the following fresco.

Significance of baths Significance of baths What was it used for? There were many different reasons in which people went to baths. Most people would go for cleanliness or for a social event.  Nearly everyone went to baths generally in the afternoons.  The only people who didn’t go to public baths were slaves and the very poor.  Most rich house had a bath of some sort in their own house.

Services They know its of a sexual nature and some believe it to be of some kind of advertise that promoted prostitutes on the second level. Or it could be symbols to peoples lockers as before mentioned. These pictures were found in a changing room at one side of the newly excavated Suburban Baths in the early 1990s. People are not quiet sure what they represent entirely. The public bath was largely abandoned in the Middle Ages, except for the communal "stew" for feasting and prostitution.

Gathering place for socials These are casts from the bodies found after the eruption of Vesuvious. Like these bodies, many skeletal remains exists to indicate that the baths were social gathering places in which people would meet to catch up or enjoy the company of someone else or find someone to talk to.

Fitness and exercise The baths at both Pompeii and Herculaneum were acomidating not only for lesire activites but also for people wanting to work out. The main building contained not only ample accommodation for bathing and swimming, but, halls suitable for gymnastic exercises. as well as two palaestras, gyms where wrestling and boxing was practiced, The north end of the complex contained a natatio or swimming pool.

Leisure activities The main building contained not only ample accommodation for bathing and swimming, but salons for the conversation of lounging patricians, halls suitable for gymnastic exercises, and rotundas where philosophers might argue and poets declaim. The libraries were located in exedrae on the east and west sides of the bath complex. The entire north wall of the complex was devoted to shops. The reservoirs on the south wall of the complex were fed with water from the Marcian Aqueduct.