Baths of Caracalla

Baths of Caracalla

By Elizabeth Qian-Wang, Chanel Matthews, and Izzy Macenka

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Rooms and Activities - Start in one of the two gyms- Then go to a sauna and a hot tub within the domed caldarium, the hot, steamy room.- The tepidarium, the warm room, was used before the frigidarium, the cold room.- Last was a dip into the natatio, an open-air swimming pool- Other rooms included the apodyteria, or changing room, gardens, and libraries

General Overview- Located in an area full of ancient monuments and buildings. - walls are 37 meters high- 5,000 people bathed there every day.- Played a major roles in the social life of the capital.

Founding- Started by Septimus Severus in 212 CE- Finished by Emperor Caracalla in 216 CE- Used until the sixth century when invading Goths ruined the plumbing. - Covered an area of 750 by 380 ft

Water Supply- In Rome itself the aqueducts fed the Baths of Caracalla- To provide running water and heating, ducts and other piping were built underneath the floors.

Heating- provided by an underground heating system called a hypocaust - Hypocaust was fuelled by over fifty wood-burning furnaces

Baths of Caracalla SententiaLatin:Sine Thermis Antoninianis cessatio aboritur. Sine cessatione romanorum adcommodatio asuendi ad societatem aboritur.English: Without the Baths of Caracalla relaxation is lost. Without relaxation the Romans’ willingness to contribute to society is lost.

Underground tunnels- can be accessed by a staircase - 500 slaves ran through the tunnels feeding 50 ovens with tons of wood everyday.- The heated water flowed through a network of underground channels - The used water was carried away through sewers to the Tiber

- The video on the left is about Caracalla's reasons for building the baths- The video on the right gives a visual tour of what the baths would have looked like