Baths of Caracalla

The Baths of Caracalla were Roman public baths, or "thermae", built in Rome between AD 212 and 216, during the reign of the Emperor Caracalla. The extensive ruins of the baths have become a popular tourist attraction.

The bath complex covered approximately 13 hectares (33 ac). The bath building was 228 meters (750 ft) long, 116 meters (380 ft) wide and 38.5 meters (125 ft) estimated height, and could hold an estimated 1,600 bathers.cite book | first=Leland M. | last=Roth | year=1993 | title=Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History and Meaning | edition=First | publisher=Westview Press | location=Boulder, CO | id=ISBN 0-06-430158-3 | pages=]

The Caracalla bath complex of buildings was more a leisure centre than just a series of baths. The "baths" were the second to have a public library within the complex. Like other public libraries in Rome, there were two separate and equal sized rooms or buildings; one for Greek language texts and one for Latin language texts.

The baths consisted of a central 55.7 by 24 meter (183x79 ft) "frigidarium" (cold room) under three 32.9 meter (108 ft) high groin vaults, a double pool "tepidarium" (medium), and a 35 meter (115 ft) diameter "caldarium" (hot room), as well as two palaestras (gyms where wrestling and boxing was practiced). The north end of the bath building contained a "natatio" or swimming pool. The "natatio" was roofless with bronze mirrors mounted overhead to direct sunlight into the pool area. The entire bath building was on a 6 meter (20 ft) high raised platform to allow for storage and furnaces under the building.

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.

Principle dimensions
Precinct maximum: 412x393M
Internal: 323x323M
Central Block overall: 218x112M
Swimming Pool: 54x23M
Frigidarium: 59x24M height c. 41M
Caldarium: 35M diameter height c. 44M
Internal courts: 67x29M

Quantities of materials
Pozzolanna: 341,000 Cu. M
Quick lime: 35,000 Cu. M
Tufa: 341,000 Cu. M
Basalt for foundations: 150,000 Cu. M
Brick pieces for facing: 17.5 million
Large Bricks: 520,000
Marble columns in Central block: 252
Marble for columns and decorations: 6,300 Cu. M

Estimated average labour figures on site
Excavation: 5,200 men
Substructure: 9,500 men
Central Block: 4,500 men
decoration: 1,800 men

One of many statues is the colossal 4M (15ft.) statue of Aesclepius. The 12M (40 ft.) columns of the frigidarium were made of granite and they weighed close to 100 tonnes.Chris Scarre provides a slightly longer construction period 211-217 CE. ["Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World" edited by Chris Scarre 1999 p178 ]
They would have had to install over 2,000 tons of material every day for 6 years in order to complete it in this time period. Records show that the idea for the baths were drawn up by Septimius Severus, and merely completed or opened in the lifetime of Caracalla. [ Walker, Charles, 1980 "Wonders of the Ancient World" p. 92-3 ] This would allow for a longer construction time frame.

The building was heated by a hypocaust, a system of burning coal and wood underneath the ground to heat water provided by a dedicated aqueduct. It was in use up to the 19th century.

In the early 20th century, the design of the baths was used as the inspiration for several modern structures, including Pennsylvania Station in New York City, USA and National Assembly Building in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The baths are open to the public for an admission fee of 6 Euros, which does not apply to students or pensioners from the EU. Access is limited to certain areas to avoid damage to the mosaic floors, although such damage is already clearly visible. Also, a total of 22 well-preserved columns looted from the ruins are found in the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, taken there in the 12th century.

See also

*List of Roman domes

References

External links

* [http://www.historychannel.com/rome/ History Channel website for "ROME: Engineering an Empire"] Take the video tour and see the Flash presentation on the Baths. Also see the Video Gallery for a short movie on the Baths.
* [http://www.compart-multimedia.com/virtuale/us/roma/baths_of_caracalla.htm Baths of Caracalla] Virtual 360° panorama and photos of the ruins.
* [http://www.rome-guide.it/english/monuments/monuments_caracalla.html Caracalla Thermal Baths]