The History of Baths

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Rooms of a Typical Roman Bath - Part 2

No wonder the process of bathing took hours! There were many stalls which sold snacks and meals, so the bathers could take a nibble whilst they were in transit from room to room.

The Palaestrae
Made up of large gymnasiums, unroofed yards, and other grounds. Open space was abundant here, allowing a large variety of activities to be performed. Some of these included:

• Boxing
• Trochus a game of rolling a medal hoop
• Basketball
• Bladder ball
• Haltera (swinging)Handball
• Hop-ball
• Racquetball
• Running
• Swimming in an outside pool
• Tennis
• Trochus a game of rolling a medal hoop
• Weightlifting (mainly for the men, women participated but only rarely)
• Wrestling

Relaxation, recreation leisure and bathing activities were conveniently situated under one roof. This coupled with their affordability meant that cleanliness became more important, and most free citizens practised regular bathing. Leisurely bathing and pampering was not the preserve of the rich. In addition, the public baths promoted health and fitness as well, because they emphasised the importance of exercise. Furthermore the system of Roman baths encouraged citizens to read and better themselves. Every freeman in Rome could avail themselves of cultural activities such as the theatre.

Ancient Rome had the games and circuses, which were free, but for a small fee (the entrance to the baths), they could visit the theatres, libraries. The large gymnasiums promoted physical health. Added to the fact that they tended to attract every class the atmosphere could get quite rowdy. Seneca, a Roman citizen, commented on the level of noise

“Imagine all these kinds of voices . . . While the sporting types take exercise with dumb-bells, either working hard or pretending to do so, I hear groans; every time they release the breath they have been holding, I hear sibilant and jarring respiration. When I meet some idle fellow content with a cheap massage, I hear the smack of a hand on the shoulders, and, according to if it is open or closed when it strikes, it gives a different sound. If a ball-player appears on the scene and begins to count the scores, I am finished!

Suppose there is also some brawler, and a thief caught in the act, and a man who likes the sound of his own voice while taking his bath. Then there are the bathers who leap into the pool, making a mighty splash. But all these people at least have a natural voice. Just imagine the shrill and strident cries of the attendants who pluck the hair from the bathers’ bodies, who never cease their noise except when they are plucking the hair from somebody’s armpits and making another scream instead of themselves. Then there are various cries of the pastry cooks, the sausage-sellers, and all the hawkers from the cook-shops, who advertise their wares with a sing-song all their own”.

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