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Since most Roman houses had no baths, their baths were public and had a communal character, acting as a place for socialising. It was a place people went to after the end of the working day. This was particularly useful for the poor who lived in the upper floors of the tenements which, besides not having running water, only had small and overcrowded rooms where people could only sleep. The poor lived their lives outdoors, ate outdoors, and went to outdoors public toilets. For the rich, going to the baths was part of their leisured lifestyle and a place where they could meet their clients and engage in intellectual pursuits.

From the second century BC the baths were one of the main meeting points for people. They could be big monumental complexes s with many facilities. Friends met there, rich people met their clients, and group meals could be arranged. Politicians canvassed there. Poetry readings and oratory debates were held. There was also a gym and massage areas. Bigger baths also had shops, eating outlets and areas, a swimming pool and libraries (the baths of Caracalla had two libraries, a Latin one and a Greek one). The Romans believed that good health came from eating, bathing, massage and physical and mental exercise: mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy/sound mind in a healthy body). Therefore their baths provided for all of these.

People sent an average of two hours at the bath. The main routine was to start with exercising and/or playing sports at the palaestra (the gym). This followed by bathing. Washing was separate from bathing. Bathers also had olive oil put on their body, and had their skin scraped with special metal scrapers (the strigil). Pumice and beech ash were used to treat the skin. Afterwards they had a massage which was done with perfumed ointments such almond oil and myrrh imported from the East and Egypt.

Bathing was a long process. After undressing in the apodytermium bathers went to the tepidarium which was heated with warm air to prepare for the hot vapour of the baths and for anointing, which was usually done by slaves, and to reacclimatise the body before going back outdoors. They then proceeded into the caldarium, a hot air room, which contained a square-shaped pool with hot water (calida piscina) and a labrum, a round basin with cold water bathers poured on their heads before leaving the room. In imperial times a laconicum or sudatorium was added. This was a very hot, sweating room or sauna. After having opened the pores of the skin in the tepidarium, caldarium and laconicum, bathers went into the frigidarium, which had a pool with cold water, for a cold plunge- bath to close the pores. Finally they went back to the tepidarium to readjust to the outdoors temperature.

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Q: What would happen at the roman baths besides washing?
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What was the Roman washing like in the Roman army?

If you mean personal washing and personal cleanliness, the standards were high, just as in civilian life Remains of baths have been found at Roman forts. If you mean washing in the sense of laundry, the officers had slaves to tend to their clothing while the enlisted men did their own.


What is the Roman Baths used for today?

Nowadays the Roman baths are archaeological sites and tourist attractions.


Did the Romans built the Roman Baths?

Yes, Romans did build the roman baths...if they didn't, it wouldn't be called ''Roman-Bath''


Who used Roman Baths?

Everyone in Roman Society. Large cities had public baths that was open to all.


How much people do the roman baths hold?

It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.

Related questions

What was the Roman washing like in the Roman army?

If you mean personal washing and personal cleanliness, the standards were high, just as in civilian life Remains of baths have been found at Roman forts. If you mean washing in the sense of laundry, the officers had slaves to tend to their clothing while the enlisted men did their own.


What is the Roman Baths used for today?

Nowadays the Roman baths are archaeological sites and tourist attractions.


Did the Romans built the Roman Baths?

Yes, Romans did build the roman baths...if they didn't, it wouldn't be called ''Roman-Bath''


What are the colors of the roman baths?

The colors of the roman baths are...... Pink- hot Green- cold Purple- warm


Who used Roman Baths?

Everyone in Roman Society. Large cities had public baths that was open to all.


How were the roman baths in bath discovered?

The Roman Baths in Bath were discovered when someone found a large leak in their basement and tried to find out what it was. They then found a small part of the roman baths in their basement! The houses were knocked down and the Roman Baths were restored and became a popular tourist attraction.


How much people do the roman baths hold?

It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.It depends upon the size of the bath. The Roman baths were built in various sizes from the small baths in private homes, to the vast imperial baths, such a those of Diocletian and Caracalla.


Roman baths indicated that Roman are?

Clean?!?


Thermae is Roman for?

Thermae is Roman for Public Baths.


How did bath houses make the Romans better?

No effect. After the fall of the Roman Empire the Roman baths fell into disuse and there were no baths in Europe for many centuries. Modern baths are based on modern plumbing. Modern public baths do not have a cold-plunge baths, a sauna, a gym and massage like the Roman baths.


Why were the roman toilets called baths?

Roman toilets were not called baths, they were called foricae. Baths were called thermae and they were social centers in addition to being places to bathe. All the thermae (baths) had foricae (toilets).


What type of people used roman baths?

All the classes used the Roman baths, rich, poor, male and female.